How to be a Dragonologist
by Opaul
Summary: Au fic. Set in Scotland in the early 1900's. Hiccup is given a chance to study under Dr. Ernest Drake the famous dragonologist as an assistant. Then WW1 breaks out and the enemy intends to try and use the green death as a weapon. Hiccup/Astrid RatedT
1. Chapter 1

**This story takes place in about the early 1900's on an island off the coast of Scotland that I am inventing XD. Ever read the Dragonology books, well someone name Professor Ernest Drake wrote them and he required an assistant or two didn't he?**

**There will be shipping.**

**Rated t and I own nothing. **

**For all my usual readers I combined chapter 1 and chapter 2 because they were both short in length and I decided they fit better together.**

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Hiccup sat on the garden wall trying to draw a Raven perched in front of him that was nice enough to sit still for him to sketch it. The sun hung limply in the morning sky it would be a cool overcast day.

The birds chirp sweetly in the neighbors' hedges and a squirrel scampers up a nearby shade tree. The foliage of the island had settled into a deep green color a sign that spring was quickly receding giving way to summer.

"HICCUP," his father yelled from the screen door. "HURRY UP YER BUS IS HERE!"

Hiccup snaps the note book in his hands, clamors off the wall, and darts through the hedges of pink, blue, and violet hydrangeas. His mother had planted them when he was a baby and they now soared about his head. Hiccup darted up the steps of the back porch, under his father arm, grabbing his book bag at the base of the stairs rushes out the front door.

The school bus driver pushed open the doors. "Late again Haddock."

"I know I'm sorry." Mrs. Creighton smiled deviously but sweetly. Her hair was slowly fading from its once raven color too white, it had settled on a lavender-ish tint for the time being matching her deep violet eyes that were also slowly fading. You could tell she had once been quite beautiful. "Time is precious child. It's not in your best interest to be late." He shrugs and nods halfheartedly in reply.

He is one of the final stops so the bus had already filled with kids that were chatting noisily and throwing things. A pencil, paper wad, apple or two flew in his direction from younger students as he takes his seat at the back of the bus.

Hiccup folds up his legs and opens the note book in his lap. Ruffnut Thorson pops her head up of the seat in front of him. She grins slyly eyeing the sketch book. "What are you drawing?"

"A bird." Hiccups answers blankly.

"Why."

Hiccup shrugs and continues shading.

"OH Cool I wanna see." Her brother shouts clobbering over the back of the seat trying to get the book.

"No." Hiccup shoves his hand in the boys face trying to keep him away from it. Unfortunately Tuffnut's arms are longer than his own. Tuffnut easily snatches onto it. "Come on I just want to see." Hiccup holds tight to the other end. Both heave on either end. "No way it's mine," Hiccup repeats through gritted teeth. He gives another tug. The book rips at the weak binding sending pages everywhere. The noisy bus quiets immediately with the sight of pages floating around like snow.

"Great." Hiccup mumbles angrily.

"WHO MADE THIS MESS?" Shouts Mrs. Creighton at the top of her lungs from the driver's seat. Everyone slowly turns their head to the two seats where the twins and Hiccup were seated. Suddenly Hiccup felt like he was five years old again.

She huffs, "You're lucky we're here or it'd be a detention for all of yeh." She pushes the level that opens the door and the mob of screaming children rush out like the bus is on fire.

"Just get it cleaned up." She hollers over the roar of the crowd.

"Okay well nice seeing you Hiccup." Ruff says before darting away. Tuff blurts, "Yeah have fun with that," before rushing off behind her. "I just wanted to see what the hell is his problem."He mumbles. "Heh, I dunno," she answers, "I heard his mom killed herself when he was little must have fucked with his brain or something." Hiccup merely rolls his eyes.

"Close the doors on your way out Hiccup, if you would," Mrs. Creighton asks smiling, "I have a class to teach."

"Yeah sure." He drones bending over to pick up the nearest piece of paper. He quickly stuffs all the pieces of paper into his book bag. Most now were sticky and covered in bus soot. One had landed on a seat near the front and was now crumpled up with piece of purple gum stuck in it._ Great_. It was a portrait of his mother he drew from a photograph awhile back. _Oh well it wasn't very good anyway. _Hiccup tosses the drawing in the trash on his way out the door pausing to close them behind him. No one meandering on the grounds so the bell must have already rung.

The school was small and made of weathered old brick. Small because the town was small. All grades 1st through 12th were housed in one building. And all the grades could each fit in a classroom. Weathered because the school was old. The town was old as well. Vikings had been the first to settle Berk more than five centuries before. But the school was as a tad bit younger than that.

"You're late Hiccup." The teacher says from her place at the chalk board.

"Thanks hadn't noticed." He answers as he trudges up the isle to his seat beside Snotlout. He glances down before sitting. Tacks were not unheard of. _A whoopee cushion._ Hiccup leers at Snotlout with the side of his eyes. He's smirking slightly. Hiccup suddenly felt like he was in the fifth grade all over again. "Here," he tosses the thing on Snotlout's desk. "I think this is yours," he says sitting down.

"Snotlout," the teacher says motioning with one hand, still writing on the board, "Bring it here."

"And get a detention slip you're not in primary school anymore, honestly." She shudders shaking her head. She has graying brown hair tied back in a tight bun and wears neat square classes. She throws the whoopee cushion into the rubbish bin. The twins both snicker, and most of the girls merely roll their eyes at his antics. Snotlout glares angrily at Hiccup on his way back to his desk. Hiccup merely sighs and slinks down in his chair. He pulls a wrinkled piece of notebook paper out and begins to aimlessly doodle.

"Class open your English books we are starting with riddle usage in literature."

"Now can anyone tell me what this line means," she says pointing to the writing on the chalkboard.

_The wave, over a wave, a weird thing I saw,_

_Through-wrought and wonderful ornate:_

_A wonder on the waves, water become bone._

Everyone stares at the board for a few minutes. Ms. Steffensen slaps her ruler against her hand. "Anyone?" She questions. "No, alright then, Mr. Fishlegs what is the answer to the riddle."

The over grown boy in the back row scratches his head, "Is it a description of an ancient warrior sea burial."

"Intriguing answer but no." She then noticed Hiccup doodling. She smiled cunningly. "Master Haddock why don't pull yourself away from your master piece for a moment and tell us all what the riddle on the board means." Hiccup winced slightly. Hiccup reread the chalk letters on the board. _It comes from the sea and its ornate…._uhhh….. His mind drew a blank. _Water become bone….._" Oh, Ice?"

Ms. Steffensen raises her eyebrows. "Good. Now on to Beo Wolf," she raps on her desk with the ruler. The class frivolously turns pages. "And that'll be a detention for drawing in class Mr. Haddock."

Hiccup slunk even deeper into his chair it was going to be a long day.

"And the rest of you better shape up as well Dr. Drake always asks riddles when giving away his internships. And whoever gets his internships almost always gett into Oxford. Hiccup could see several people nod including, Astrid in the third row, her family was poor getting into college was going to take more than her archery talents. She then blew a purple gum bubble and popped it. "Ms. Hofferson no gum." The teacher pointed at the trash can. And suddenly Hiccup feels like he was three years old again.

Hiccup could no longer feel his wrist. He had written "I will not draw in class" more than 500 times in the past 2 hours. He had another 37 to go as the clock struck 5 o'clock. Snotlout was forced to help clean out the supply closet on the second floor for the janitor because of his burliness. Hiccup was unsure of which was harsher punishment. The janitor was a small self entitled Narcissistic man with greasy slicked back black hair who felt nothing was more pleasant that to hear himself talk. He would not shut up the entire time and Snotlout would be ready to hurl himself of a window by the time it was over. Hiccup pondered if it was a hidden warning from Ms. Steffensen of what would become of him if he kept his nose in the air for too long. "That will be enough now," the teacher spoke from her place at her desk grading papers, "You may go now." Hiccup wipes his hands off on his gray trousers. They tremble slightly. Thunder sounds faintly in the distance. "And you may wish to hurry if you wish to avoid the storm." Ms. Steffensen adds quickly.

The sky had darkened from overcast over the course of the day. The clouds hung thick like sheep's wool in the sky. Hiccup sighed glancing out the window it was going to pour. He slung his bag on his shoulder and lumbered out the class room. The hallway was painted stark white with wooden floor boards. They were meant to be more practical than beautiful. Not that you could really blame them the school system was poor. Not horrible poverty but still poverty. He pushed open the front the doors the secretary mumbling a goodbye not looking up from her work. Hiccup looked up at the sky a single rain drop hitting the end of his nose. _Great._ A vacant field sits adjacent to the school with businesses starting farther up the road. Hiccup sighs and starts up the street. Not a single car is to be seen. Its five o'clock and most of the shops have closed early because of the imminent rain. Hiccup glances in the window of the grocery store the cashier had fallen asleep on the counter. He smiles slightly to himself.

Hiccup glances up at the sky again. His smile fades in the ten minutes the sky has grown even infinitely darker. It is only a two mile walk to his house but at this rate he won't make it home before it begins to pour. He pulls his heavy bag up higher on his shoulder and begins to run. But he only makes it three blocks before the blinding rain sets in.

He stops chest heaving when he can no longer see or hear anything besides rain. He kicks the water in puddle in front of him. "REALLY GOD REALLY!" He yells throwing his arms up in the air. Only the pounding emptiness of rain answers him. "God's laughing at me." He murmurs to himself trudging forward blindly. The sight of what appears to be a corner up head after awhile. "Thank goodness only five more blocks." But something catches his foot sending him forward land face first in the mud. "And when I thought things couldn't get much worse." He makes no move to get up merely staring into the storm drain in front of his face. He sighs deeply. A slight rustling comes from the leaves and garbage clotting in the drain. Hiccup glances deeper into the darkness. A flash of dull red vanishes into the muck again. He blinks struggling to shift some of the rain water out of his eyes. No use, Hiccup scoots closer placing his face just inside the hole. He blinks attempting to get used to the darkness. A pair of black irises blink back at him. Thunder crashes in the background. Hiccup stares frozen wide-eyed at the beast. It's a dull red color almost the color of rust. It has a pointed head with several short teeth poking out of the side of its snout. Its lips quiver slightly as it smiles. The rain grows stronger if that we possible. Muck and rain water pour into the drainage pit forcing up against the side of in the gutter. Hiccup ignores this eyes still locked with the beast. And then slowly it opens its mouth, slow enough to be yawning. But instead it reveals to very large fangs. "HOLY SHIT ITS A SNAKE," Hiccup screams pushing himself away from the hole. The mud and rain pouring into the drain pipe adhering him. Thunder blasts again, over head loud enough to be confused with a train passing directly on top of him. A bright light quickly draws closer. _Great I'm going to either be struck by lightning or get eaten by a giant snake._

The light becomes blindingly bright along with a deafening sound. The car skids to a stop beside him. The sound of the horn unrelenting. The creature clamps its mouth down and darts back into the pipes. _I'm not going to die._ The world reaches utter clarity the rain burst back into existence against his face. His eyes grow unbearably s wide. He grabs onto the concrete slab above his head with one and as well as pushes off with one foot. The door of the car opens. Hiccup manages to stand up a hand motions to him from the cab. A pregnant woman with soft brown hair and big shiny blue eyes smiles warmly. She has a round ageless face she could have been fourteen or thirty-five. She motions again with one hand still resting on the wheel. Hiccup hesitates, "Are you offering me a ride." She nods frivolously motioning again, still smiling warmly. Slowly Hiccup sits down in the passenger seat. He turns and looks at the woman. He's never seen her before and in a town of only 200 people that is not something that happens often. "You're….you're not from around here are you?"

The woman shrugged and shook her head. She then wiggles her noise and points at the open door. "Oh sorry," Hiccup mumbles. He pulls the door closed. He turns back around to see the woman staring at him inquisitively. Hiccup swallows. The woman rolls her eyes. She motions with her head forward. "Oh yeah you probably want me to tell you where to go." The woman nods. Hiccup eyes her for a second. "You can't talk can you?" She shakes her head. She reaches behind her seat and pulls out a mini chalk board. She quickly writes something and hands it to him. _I've been mute since I was a child._ Hiccup gazes back up at the neatly dressed woman. He opens his mouth to ask her how then realizes that is probably a very personal question then closes it again.

She motions again with her head. "Take a left here." The woman steps on the gas pedal and the automobile slowly slides out of place. She turned up the radio to play a soft classical station as she drove. And very slowly she did drive, with good reason. The visibility in the rain was less than a couple of feet. Hiccup's breaths slowly regained normalcy. "Take a right up here this is the street." She nodded as she turned the wheel. "It's the house on the left in the middle." She pulled the car to a stop. She stared at the house for a second, the largest one on the block. She pointed to it making sure it was the right. "Yep that's it." She raised one eyebrow before taking out the chalkboard again. _You live there?_

"Yes I live there."

_Then why doesn't your damn mother drive you in this weather_. A person who lived in a house that size was not someone who had a wife who had to work.

"She's dead."

_That would pose a problem._ Hiccup smiled. "Thank you," He says opening the car door. She hands him a business card then goes back to scribbling on the chalk board. Hiccup looks at the tiny piece of paper. _Dr. Ernest Drake_

Hiccup's eyes grow wide. "You know Dr. Ernest Drake."

The woman holds up her index finger still writing. She holds up the board.

_My names is Aurore Drake, next time there is weather like this call me I sit around all day and have nothing better to do. And yes I know Ernest Drake, he's my father-in-law. _And again she smiled a smile that could melt glacial ice. Hiccup tucks the piece of paper in his vest and steps out of the car. He waddles up the front door fumbles with the key for a few seconds before letting himself in. He closes the door behind him and lean against it for support. The house was dark and cold, the furnace was not turned on. His father wasn't home yet.

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**Dun, dun, dun and the plot thickens, well sort of. Get it with the purple gum stuff…. **

**Yes they had bubble gum back then I checked. Same with the dates of Vikings in Scotland. **

**Read and review with lots of love. :D I take bad reviews too FWI I'd rather have a bad review than no review. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: the dragon mentioned in the last chapter is not going to be toothless' character. Yes toothless will be in this and play and very important part he just does not show up until the fifth, six, or seventh chapter (or something like that I haven't written quite that far) same with Astrid. She and shipping play a role…just deeper into the story. Electricity is mentioned, it was invented and being installed in America, by 1910, the story is set a little ahead of that so let's just assume they have it. **

**Anyway I own nothing, and enjoy.**

_Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, _

_War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it_

_, Making it momentary as a sound,_

_Swift as a shadow, short as any dream, _

_Brief as the lightning in the collied night,_

_That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,_

_And ere a man hath power to say 'Behold!' _

_The jaws of darkness do devour it up: So quick bright things come to confusion_

_~A Midsummer's Night's Dream, William Shakespeare_

Hiccup's legs give way beneath him and he sunk to the floor creating a puddle of rainwater and muck beneath him. He rubs his temple pounding slightly from the fall. He lifted up his leg water dripping off of it onto the tile floor. His father would yell at him for dragging water into the house. Oh well his father would be in city council meetings until late tonight. He'd have time to clean it up later. The dark parlor spreads out in front of him the dark furniture on lit by the occasional flash of lightning though the white light does look beautiful dancing across his great-great grandmother's china. The sitting room is down the hall with the radio that had been broken since last October the oak furniture was slightly more cheerful. Antiques from both sides of the family crowded the formal parlor, dark cherry like staircase.

Hiccup reached inside his vest pocket. The business card was dampened, some of the ink smeared but luckily still readable and not much worse for wear. His books and drawings were thoroughly soaked though. He'd have to leave them out to dry tonight and pray they were not completely destroyed. That wasn't likely. And the idea of telling his father that he would have to pay for new books at the end of the year was none to pleasing either. He glances back at the card, "Well today wasn't and utterly completely awful." Lightning hits again blindingly brighter. The darkness after brings haunting flashes of red scales and seven inch fangs. He shudders.

Hiccup shakes the thoughts from his head then sighs picking himself off the ground. He needed dry clothes. He hobbles over to the winding staircase opposite the parlor. The stairs freshly waxed by the maid. Hiccup peers up as lightning strikes again lighting the two floors that spiral above. He used to slide down this banister as a child. He climbs to the second floor. Hiccup's bedroom is the fourth at the end of the hall. He closes the door behind him and collapses in the center of the floor.

Hiccup shuts his eyes content to sleep for a moment and leave the water mess be. After a few minutes the chilled air of the house causes him to shiver. _Dry clothes._ He pushes himself off the ground and shuffles over to his closet and pulls out a t-shirt and a pair of plaid wool pants. He walks down the hall to the water closet to hang the wet garments over the tub to dry.

His hand twists on the slippery brass handle. Throwing his weight up against the door it budges open. The intricate stained glass window lets in nearly no light. Shadow drapes across all but a single strand of light that passes over the sink. Hiccup fiddles for the light switch next to the door frame. His finger flips it. Nothing. "Great the electricity is out." He takes a step into the room, and pulls some clothes pins out of a drawer. He fingers through the darkness for the shower curtain and pushes it to one side. He reaches up to clip the clothes to the shower curtain.

Lightning flashes. The room brightens for an instant. A red brown serpentine creature sits perched in the bathtub. Hiccup throws himself back against the mirror. His chest begins to heave and his hands grasp hard to the edge of the sink. The creature eyes him and crawls nimbly from the tub. It's more than twenty feet long with a snake like body, four legs and has two small wings protruding from its side. It stands up on its two back legs leveling its face with Hiccup's. Hiccup's breaths freeze in his lungs. The creature kinks its head eyeing him up and down, sniffing him intermittently. Hiccup's right hand searches for the glass toothbrush holder. Suddenly the creature dives. Hiccup ducks quickly letting it crash head first into the mirror shattering it, the contents of the medicine cabinet behind it roll onto the floor. Hiccup rushes out of the way behind the creature. The creature shakes the excess pieces of glass off its head and reels around. Hiccup hurls the toothbrush holder at it striking it square in the face. The creature staggers back hitting the wall next to the door crashing into a large picture frame which also collapses onto its head. The creature crashes to the floor. Hiccup's face lights up, for a moment the creature does not stir. Thunder crashes like a mountainous drum louder than anything Hiccup had ever heard before as though death itself were playing it. It rattles the windows and the floor boards. The creatures head pops up and throws off the painting. It's eyes slits.

Hiccup hasn't killed the beast. He's made it livid. Once again his chest begins to heave.

The creature pounces teeth bared. Hiccup once again ducks. It crashes into the bathtub knocking it over. It jumps from there onto the curtain rod above. Hiccup dives backward, smacking up against the wall between the sink and the cabinets. Frantically he looks around for something to arm himself with. But there's nothing. And it's too late. The beast hurls itself off the shower curtain across the room. The force strikes Hiccup forcing his head to bang against the wall. Its talons dig deeply into his shoulders and forearms. Hiccup can no longer breathe. Part of his mind screams he's hallucinating. _Hallucinations don't throw you up against walls. _

The creature stands back up on its back legs. A smile quivers across its lips. _It isn't going to kill me it wants to play with me first._ The horrific recognition spreads across Hiccup's face, eyes as wide as dinner plates. The beast pitches him across the room his body crashing into the wall right below the stain glass window. Hiccup wheezes finally breathing his ribs sting. His vision blurs. The creature skitters along the floor pressing its face directly into Hiccup's grinning evil as it stares him in the eye. Wanting his prey to fidget one last moment before its death. The dragon's weight bears down on his torso. Hiccup begins to choke finally heaves and coughs up blood all into the dragons face. The creature bounces back scraping off the disgusting liquid with its paws. Hiccup blinks attempting to stay awake. But once again it's no use. His head rolls to the side and his eyelids linger closed.

The dragon snorts, clearing the rest of the blood from its nose. It shakes its head back and forth in disgust. It looks back up at its prey. A smile forms on its lips revealing venomous teeth. A loud bang comes from the floor making the creature perk up. "HICCUP WHAT IS THIS MESS." The sounds of the pounding feet warn the dragon of the impending massive creature. Panic stricken it darts back and forth. It grips the side of the door frame with its claws peering around for a way out. But Stoick the Vast has already reached the top of the stairs. It dives back inside frantic as a kitten in the path of a tsunami for a place to hide. The increased tapping of rain against the window alerts it. In a single leap it dashes through the magnificent stain glass and out into the fury of the night and storm.

A few moments later a huge form crowds the door frame to the second story bathroom. "Oh my God," He breathes.

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**GASPETH. If you thought that was amazing you better review D if you thought it was terrible will you please review and tell me why. I'm extremely excited about writing chapter 4 but sadly it must wait till Wednesday. We learn the details of Hiccup's mother's death and a bunch of other stuffs though so say tuned. **

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	3. Chapter 3

**Remember how Hiccup had the attention span of a sparrow; imagine what it must have been like for him as a baby. I don't have much of an author's note for the beginning of this one. There is some gray area in this next chapter as I sit down to write. I have the basic format of what must happen but some of the details. And some of this is going to be very hard to write. All I can say is that I hope all of you enjoy it.**

**Rated t and I own nothing.**

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Not the gods can shake the Past;

_Flies-to the adamantine door_

_Bolted down forevermore._

_None can reenter there,-_

_No thief so politic,_

_No Satan with a royal trick_

_Steal in by window, chink, or hole,_

_To bind or unbind, add what lacked,_

_Insert a leaf, or forge a name,_

_New-face or finish what is packed,_

_Alter or mend eternal Fact._

_~RALPH WALDO EMERSON, The Past_

_The beast within is often a force to be reckoned with for very little is it content to remain within._

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His mother had suddenly run inside. But that had been awhile ago. Young Hiccup stared up at the fluffy cloud studded sky above. They were perfect clouds in his opinion. Starch white against the cerulean sky, a perfect mix between cotton balls and marshmallows. His mother had been working in the garden. The dirt was freshly turned and planted with hydrangeas, the smell of soil drifted sweetly in the air like wine.

Hiccup falls back lazily in the long grass between the rows. He giggles a rich baby laugh as the blades tickles him in the face. He gazes up at the heavens again just a cloud passes in front of the sun. The silver lining it creates is awfully pretty he notes.

A gentle summer breezes floats through and the cloud moves out from under the sun. The light bright light hurt the toddler's eyes forcing him to turn his head to the side. _OH, something in the grass. _He rolls over onto his stomach. He reaches for it but it's just slightly out of reach. It's a pretty red color the same color as _APPLE JUICE_. He grins at the thought. Hiccup sits up, searching around for his bottle. It's lying next to a freshly planted crop of bright blue flowers. He crawls over to it and picks it up. He holds it up in front of his face. _Empty._ He frowns. _But mommy has more in the house. _He smiles again. Hiccup begins waddling over to the back door. Wide fragrant rows of purple, blue, pink, and white hydrangeas pass on either side of his legs. The rows are long and the door is far away. He frowns. Will he make it to the door or should he just wait until mommy comes back outside and then beg for more. His mouth is dry. And Mamma might not be back for awhile. Hiccup decides to continue his trek.

Unsteadily he pushes open the back door. "Mamma Juice," he calls into the kitchen. He takes a clumsy step up onto the white and yellow room. "MAMMA JUICE," he calls louder this time. He can see his mother on the other side of the table standing on a chair fiddling with the chandelier. "MAMMMMA JUUUUUICE."Hiccup whines waving his bottle in the air. He huffs and marches around the table. He tugs on the edge of her green and yellow sun dress. "MAMMA JUICE," he demands still tugging, attempting to hand her the bottle. Then he realizes his mother isn't standing on a chair. Her feet dangle inches from his face.

His eyes widen as he turns his head to the side. "Mommy, how are you doing dat." He pulls on the hem of her dress again. "Mommy?" He stares up at her. Her head hangs limp to the side her, skin white like the clouds. "Mamma, what are you doing?"He pleads. He hits her with his hand and the body sings back and forth from the rope tied messily around her head. Hiccup steps back and stares at her face. The child can that something is horribly wrong and begins to cry, the bottle clangs to the floor. "MAMMA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING." He grabs the edge of her gown and pulls over and over again. Nothing happens his mother does not respond still. "MOMMY, STOP IT. MOMMY, STOP IT. MOMMY, STOP IT." He plops down on the tile floor and wails. Tears rush down his face and start soaking his shirt. After about an hour he's so exhausted he can only whimper glimpsing up at his mothers dead form. He sticks his thumb in his mouth still thristy, but with bigger things worrying him. Eventually, he falls over on his side still crying and sucking his thumb in his mouth until after awhile he drifts into sleep.

Something soft and scaly nudges his cheek. "Humph," he murmurs pushing it away. It nudges him again. This time he hits it over the head with his bottle, causing the creature to snort. The noise causes the todder to open his eyes. A beautiful black snake like creature sits in front of him whimpering softly. It glances back and forth between him and his mother's body franticly. It whines at him. The dragon paws at the floor horror in its black pupils. Hiccup merely remains frozen in his spot on the floor, the three-year-old unaware to tell whether he is dreaming or not. Gently the silk black dragon pushes against his mother with its tail. Its only response is to sway a little. The creature whimpers again unsure of what is going on. The creature returns its gaze to Hiccup. It begins prodding at him with its nose. This the toddler does not find very amusing. He hits the dragon over the head with a tiny fist. The dragon ignores this pushing him over on his side. Hiccup scowls it was nearly noon and time for his nap and was none too happy about being woken up by the dream creature. The anxiety over his mother not helping either. Hiccup annoyed begins to howl again. The great howling noise coming from such a miniscule thing startles the dragon, who jumps back several feet. The dream creature eye's him curiously. It's eyes dart back and forth between the hanging woman and her child. The connection clicks in its brain. It licks Hiccups head then darts through the back door.

Hiccup's cries drift on into the day, until he's finally found by a neighbor, the sunshine pouring in from the windows growing brighter and brighter until he opens his eyes. His vision is slightly goopy but that is most likely from sleep.

He's lying in a hospital bed propped up on numerous pillows. He can feel his body throb vaguely but nothing appears to be horribly broken or missing. Aurore Drake stands beside the bed eyes down peering into the strange orb around her neck angling at him it in way only she and him can tell she's doing it. His reflection is mirrored perfectly in it. Hiccup's mind is too groggy to question what she's doing here. He can see his father over her shoulder standing near the door talking to a doctor. Stoick's shoulders sag and the mayor's usually neat hair is disheveled. His father is still dressed in the same suit he wore this morning so he hasn't been out for more than a few hours. Suddenly, Aurore looks up; she wiggles her nose and winks at him, then turns letting the orb fall. She walks over and stands next to the doctor just as another man with a black brief case walks in. He is in his early sixties wears a wool cap on his head. He has a white mustache that stretches to both ears and has a warm presence to him. The man shakes hands with his father and the doctor. Aurore glimpses him watching them. She closes her eyes, signaling him to pretend to be asleep for awhile longer. The doctor turns to the man who has just walked in, "We've got him on morphine at the moment to help ease the pain; the boy has some bruises, cuts and a few broken ribs but physically not the worst I've seen."

"Mentally," the man urges, "It's why you called me here."

"Ah yes," The doctor mumbles looking intently down at the toes of his rubber shoes poking out from beneath his lab coat, "the other doctors agree with me there is reason to believe that the damage was self inflicted."

"But why would he do such a thing," Stoick stammers angrily trying to keep his voice down, "he isn't bloody crazy for Christ's sake he must have been attacked." The doctor looks up from his shoes, a solemn serious face. "There were pills spilled all over the floor."

"You have to admit to the possibility...the possibility that he may." The doctor stammers looking up. He tries to hold the mayor's gaze for a few seconds but cannot and returns to looking at boots.

"The possibilty of what." Stoick asks flatly, a slight edge of anger in his voice.

"The possibility that he may have..." The doctor pauses as if trying to decide the correct words, "That may have tried to kill himself."

"Oh my God," Stoick says taking a step back, "You think he's a lunatic." Hiccup couldn't take it anymore. "I AM NOT CRAZY I WAS ATTACK BY A DRAGON!" It takes an instant to sink in the stupidity in what he has just said. Aurore inconspicuously elbows Dr. Drake; she taps on the orb with her fingernail, raising an eyebrow.

The doctor rubs his nose and looks down again. "That is why I have asked Dr. Drake here he as a degree in psychology from Oxford, among others. And with Hiccup's history you have to consider it."

"DON'T YOU DARE BRING MY DEAD WIFE INTO THIS!" Stoick hollers jabbing a finger into the doctor's face.

"Fine," Dr. Drake says evenly glancing over at the boy, "I will examine the mind of the boy, but not tonight, bring him by my house after he's off the morphine." He pauses, "Come on Aurore, your with child and shouldn't be out of bed this late at night, let's get you home." She waves him away, instead walking over to the side of the hospital bed. There is an added cunning to her presence Hiccup notices. She smiles warmly down at him, the way a mother smiles at her child. She picks up the edge of the blanket and starts tucking it around him. Hiccup can see his father gazing on in the background a little bamboozled. She rubs his forehead gently pushing some hair out of his face. She then turns and takes her father-in-law's outstretched arm. They exit the room without another word, leaving the doctor, Stoick and Hiccup alone in the room. "I have some other patients to check in on so I'll leave you two alone." Stoick eyes follow the man out of the room. The large man sighs. "How are you feelin' son?" He asks turning to face him.

Hiccup shrugs. "My head throbs at little, but heh not too bad," he answers removing his arms from beneath the blanket. Numerous nicks and cuts cover his arms from the broken glass. His father pulls up a chair and sits beside the bed. He stares at his hands. He twiddles his tumbs, he huffs agian before speaking, "Never mind about the dragon stuff that's just the morphine talking." "The police have already started looking for whatever attacked you."

"Dad, I'm serious, I really was attacked by a dragon."

"No son," his father answers shaking his head. "Dragons aren't real." The man put his face in his hands rubbing his eyelids. After a few seconds he stands up. "Get some rest son. We'll talk about this in the morning," He says patting him on the shoulder. His eyes are red but dry. "Goodnight son, "he says heading for the door. He flips off the light and closes the door quietly behind.

Hiccup sighs looking in the darkness toward the ceiling. He rolls over on his side, looking out the window to his left, it has bars on it. Hiccup glares at it for a moment before rolling over on the other side more content to stare at the empty wall.

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**Please review and give me your thoughts on this, good, bad and the little knickers inbetween. Lots of love to the readers -hugs each and every one- **

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	4. Chapter 4

She awakes to the sound of the family's Norfolk terrier barking and pawing at her window, jumping up and down its miniscule feet pounding brutally into her stomach. There was a tiny bird sitting on the roof outside her window. "Gremmy," she mumbles angrily throwing a pillow at the little dog. The dog used to having objects thrown at it after a lifetime with the Hoffersons easily dodges it. He barks twice, and then scrambles to the head of the bed, licking Astrid's face. Annoyed she rolls over, covering her face with her arm.

The sun is already thoroughly up. She'd slept much later than usual, but it was Saturday and she'd been up late last night with Ruff, Tuff, and her older brothers. The dog, not getting the message, continues to yelp and begins to scratch at the back of her head and nightgown with its tiny feet. Astrid groans. "Fine you stupid dog I'm up."She says sitting up and throwing off the covers. The dog bounces off the bed, running around in joyful circles on her floor. "You are so weird."She says smiling. The brown wire-haired dog barks happily in reply. "Nice to know you agree."

Her bed is pushed up against the window which overlooks the field and grassy tree filled rolling hills that spread out to the cliff that marks the edge of the island. To the left of her families property is a dense forest that spread out and hugs the edges of tiny Berk. The tips of rock formations can be seen peering through the ocean mist. Astrid can also spot her brothers, already awake, herding sheep in the fields, just dots of white, gray, and black like fish and reef sharks in a cove of green. It's still overcast out but not as near bad as yesterday.

The bed, just like all the other furniture in the room, is ancient belonging to her great-grandmother as a child. The family had lived in this house for five generations. Yet the sturdy oak furnishings were in relatively good condition, worn smooth from generations of polishing. Astrid yawns, and then flops back on the bed horizontal, her feet hanging over the edge. The terrier bites onto one her socks attempting to pull her off of it. But it has trouble gaining traction on the smooth wood floors and starts sliding backward. Astrid laughs. "Oh fine." She says standing up, she picks up the rambunctious dog, and walks down the hall to the stairs. He yelps happily attempting to lick her face again. Astrid grimaces, dog saliva not being her favorite bodily fluid in the world.

Her mother stands stirring a pot at the stove. "Well I see the Queen of Sheba, has finally roused herself from bed." Astrid rolls her eyes, putting the dog on the floor. "Morning Mom."

"You know you're not going to get Dr. Drakes apprenticeship or any honors from Oxford if you stay up that late and don't study." Astrid merely rolls her eyes a second time.

"Anyway, there's some porridge if you want any." She says pointing to a much larger iron pot on the stove beside her. Astrid takes a bowl out of the cabinets that outline the room. Window spread along the back wall revealing a wide view of the back fields were all thrown open to let in fresh air. Sunlight and gentle late spring breezes pour in from them.

Astrid sits down at the table. Her loose hair rustled by the wind. The oatmeal is hours old and has become thick and goopy. She holds it up and lets it slide back into the bowl. "Stop complaining it would have been fresh if you had been up before the crack of noon," Mrs. Hofferson barks waving a wooden spoon at her. Her mother's glossy blonde hair is tide back in a tight bun. Her apron has several stains on it, ranging from chicken blood to dirt. Mrs. Hofferson is not a tiny woman, standing at six foot two she still manages to stand almost as tall as her eldest son. Astrid did not inherit this height, but instead stands at 5'6", like her grandmother. Mrs. Hofferson eyes her daughter crossly before turning to chop up fresh onions for the soup pot. "Mamma, why are you making stew? Isn't there enough left over from last night?" She asks reaching for an apple in a bowl in the middle of the old pine wood table.

"This is not for us my dear, it's for the Mayor."

"Why are you making stew for the mayor?"

"Didn't you here," her brother Gavin says poking his head in the door, his wool cap nearly falling off his head. He, his twin and the eldest brother had inherited their mother's white blonde hair, freckles and deep gray eyes. "Hiccup tired to off himself last night," Kade says poking his head in also. Astrid raises an eyebrow. Astrid had been the only one to inherit their father's golden blonde hair and ice blue eyes.

"He didn't try to off himself," Her mother corrects, "They say he was attacked." "And take those boots off before you come in the house, I don't want mud on my floor." Both sons roll their eyes.  
"They say," Kade replies making air quotes, "Come on Mom you know the police are only saying that because Stoick's mayor and they don't want to piss him off. Seriously mom, who would think to attack that man's son?"

"Yeah, he'll probably just end up sending him off to the loony bin just to save face," Gavin adds.

"Did you hear he tried to convince the doctor's he was attacked by a dragon?"

"Yeah he probably did try and off himself," Astrid says aimlessly munching on apple, "just like his crazy mother did."

"Don't speak that way, "Their mother snaps."Your father investigated that case, when he was still on the force, he said it was despicable."Mrs. Hofferson pauses focusing deeply on chopping the potatoes in front of her," She hung herself in front of him. That poor, poor child," She clucks her tongue," that poor, poor woman…." Her mother shakes her head mumbling something under her breath.

"I still think they're both retarded loons," Kade whispers in his brother's ear.

Astrid see's her mother stiffen. She quickly swallows the bite of apple. Her mother slowly looks up, her eyes are slits, and the long knife she'd been using to chop up the potatoes is still in hand. "Don't you EVER, talk about that woman that way. NOW GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN ALL OF YOU," Mrs. Hofferson yells, waving the large knife around shooing them out the kitchen. "Come on," Gavin and Kade groan being shoved out the back door.

"OUT." Her mother states through gritted teeth. She grabs Astrid's chair and tosses her outside.

"MOM," Astrid yells hanging on to the door frame, "I'm still in a nightgown."

"Not my fault you got up at noon," She says slamming the door closed. Astrid has to jump out of the way not get her fingers squashed. "Not to mention you don't have shoes," one of her brothers points out. Astrid stares down at her socked feet. Huffing she kicks the hard wooden door. "God Dammit Woman."

"LANGUAGE," Her mother shouts bitterly, from inside.

Astrid turns around to see both of her brothers bending over trying to conceal their laughter. "Oh I'll give you something to laugh at." She grabs the ax, hanging from the side of the house, usually used to chop wood. The color drains from both her brothers faces.

"Run, Gavin?"

"Yes, Kade, run." They take off running like a pair of frightened pigeons from a house cat. Astrid right behind them, holding the ax up ready to strike. They clamored up over the first hill toward the place where Torence, the eldest, and the collies were herding the sheep. Her brown wool socks squish and stick in the thick mud, the hem of her white night gown trailing right through it. The scent of cold mountain air and sea mist wake her right up as they run through her lungs. Her brother's heels kick up mud and pebbles as they rush up the knoll ahead of her.

"Help us, help us," Her brother's yell breathlessly as they stumble down the steep slope second hill, "Torence there's a mad woman on the loose." Torence merely shakes his head at the three of them, from the top of the third hill; even a few of the collies roll their eyes. "Don't expect me to protect you from her; you're the ones that woke her up." The twins sprinted to a stop just behind him, hands on their knees breathing heavily. Astrid let the weapon fall from its place on her shoulder to the ground; her hands still grip the handle, however.

"Astrid put down the ax we have work to do." He remarks evenly, "And why aren't you dressed, or… wearing shoes."

"Mom kicked us out for talking bad about Hiccup's loony mother."Kade answers breathlessly from behind him.

"Well serves you right, they were friends in school remember. Besides from what I hear he probably was attacked," He eyes Astrid somewhat worried, "Brutally too, broke five ribs."

Shaking his head he bends over and unlaces his own shoes. He stuffs his socks in his pockets and tosses Astrid his boots. Astrid's eyes widen slightly, "Thank you." She quickly pulls off her own socks and shoves her socks into the pockets of her nightgown. The mud would wash out of them, but her white nightgown would forever be ruined, for no amount of lye or soap would wash out the stains from a day of hard work in the fields from white cotton. Her mother would be furious, but what else was new.

"Well come on we need to get this flock to the northwest field along with the others." Torence sticks his fingers in his mouth and whistles, calling attention to the dogs that they were on the move again.


	5. Chapter 5

Astrid's feet ache. She sits down on the door frame for the back door and rips off her brother's too big boots. Better than being barefoot though. She tosses them aside under the eve of the roof to keep them from getting rained on. It's a good eighteen centimeter distance between the door and the ground; too keep the water out when it rains; though the basement still leaks like the dickens.

In the end her mother didn't let them back in the house until after the sun had gone down. Muddy, damp and tired the three tromped up stairs into bed. The house was large, but old. It had once been a true family farm with more than one generation, with cousins and aunts and uncles living in one house or the nearby farm houses working the farm together. But such had not happened since their father was a small child. Her great-grandparents had passed away, and her mother's Aunts and Uncles moved to the city to work in the factories; the result each child had its own bedroom. The gray wooden house with dark shingles still stood at the base of the hills, soldiering on without them.

Astrid flops face first onto her bed. Then releasing that she's still in the disgusting night gown, she inches off the bed over to her dresser, and pulling it off of herself she replaces it with an overgrown plaid shirt that'd belonged to her father and loose wool stockings. Astrid crawls back into bed throwing the handmade quilt over head before snuggling into a ball.

She is firmly asleep when a tapping on her window wakes her up. Frowning she throws her the covers off her head. It's her brother Torence, his eyes lit up like gray gem stones under the light of the nearly full moon, perched like raccoon on the roof. Astrid opens the window. "What do you want," she whispers.

"Get your shoes on; I want to show you something."

"This better be good," she answers rolling her eyes. She grabs her tan boots from under her bed and swiftly laces them up. Her brother scoots out of the way letting her slide through the window, softly closing it behind her.

"Now what did you want to show me?"

"Come on follow me," He turns and scoots carefully off over the roof. He holds onto the edge of the roof with his fingers until his feet reached the wood pile below. He lets go and with a soft thud lands safely on it. "Your turn." Astrid follows suit landing with only a slightly louder noise. Torence hops of the log pile. He ducks under the kitchen window as he walks along the back side of the house, their mother is most likely already asleep, but one can never be too careful. He silently opens the back door a crack, reaches just inside the kitchen and pulls out his hunting rifle. He softly closes the door behind him and dashes back across the back of the house.

"Why do you need a gun?"

"Shhhh," he says pointing upwards, their mother's bedroom window is open. He starts heading towards the woods on the left side of the property. Astrid following behind.

As soon as they reached the woods Astrid dared to speak, "What are you showing me and why do need a gun."

"I'm going to teach you to shoot." Astrid's eyes widened. She had had her fun with bow and arrow, rocks, explosives, and even an ax now and again. But their mother had been strictly and violent against Astrid ever getting near a gun. She didn't care much for the boys being around them much either. And Torence had been on board for the most part with that idea. "What," she says smiling confusedly.

"I'm going to teach you to shoot," he repeats. The thought of him going up against mother's wishes was unheard of. He turns and looks at his younger sibling. His face dark and solemn under the tree line. "What?" Astrid questions, the joy from her face fading. He shakes his and merges onto the trail that leads to where the boys have target practice. It's about a mile from the farm house. The dark trees rise up on either side of the path like the arms of giants. Moon light pokes down from in between their fingers. It was ominous. No, she wasn't scared, she'd been out in the woods before, alone even numerous time, but something about her brother's solemn tone was very off putting and made the place more seem ominous than necessary. After about ten minutes of walking they came to a fork in the road. One way led to the shooting, the other was less used and led deeper into the woods, to their great uncle's old house. He'd been dead for years though. Astrid turned to go left, down to the target range, her brother however merged left. "Umm, where are you going?"

"No way, I am not taking any chances of having mom hear us; she's been on edge since this morning anyways." He retorts pointing down the other path. Their uncle had been a notorious hermit in his day and his house was freaky enough in daylight. But then again Torence in had a point. "Come one," he urges again, slightly annoyed, "What's scarier mom on a rampage or Uncle Fionnghal's house."

"Fine." She answers rushing along beside him.

The path to Uncle Fionnghal's house lead about another two miles back into the woods, of course there were paths he had paved in rocks that went beyond but they were rarely used. Silence follows the siblings as they walk."Why did you suddenly decide to teach me to use a gun?" Astrid asks breaking the silence.

"Because I think Hiccup really was attacked, and all that dragon talk was just the Morphine talking."

"So you don't actually think he's a nutcase?"

"Not that kind of nutcase anyway," Torence replies smirking. "But," he starts, his smile fading, "There's something else that you should know about Hiccup's mother, she had a child before Hiccup. Edan, he got bit by an adder and died." He shakes his head, white blonde hair dancing like fairy wings in the moonlight. "I vaguely remember playing with him; I was only four at the time. Mother says she was never the same after he died. She also says she was a bit out there before then."

"Well that's one happy loony family ain't it," Astrid says sarcastically, but with no playfulness.

"Greif makes you insane, Astrid," Torence says looking down at his shoes, "You know how ballistic Mom has been since dad died."

"Yeah."

"That bullet that shot him is bleeding right out Mom's beast within; grief is like venom that can spread through every part of you unless you suck if out fast enough. There's a poison here Astrid and it's not going anywhere. "

"Also made Uncle Fionnghal loose his marbles." Torence chuckles, "His wife left him and shot the dog on the way out."

"Can't really blame her though, he was a crossed eyed loon, he made hundreds of paths all over the woods out of rocks for the gnomes and elves to use, so they would stop stealing his stuff." At this they both chuckled.

Torence pauses "Study hard and get Dr. Drakes internship and go study at Oxford and get out of this hell hole."

Astrid kicks up some dust in front of her with lazy steps. "You don't have to worry about that."

They came to an opening where the trees opened up to reveal a disheveled old house. It was a clumsily thrown together cabin with a lopsided roof that encroaches over the front porch, which was precariously perched over the edge of a medium sized pond. He had also hung up several handmade wind chimes, constructed out of silverwares and scrap metal, up around the exterior of his home and clearing to ward of ghosts and vengeful spirits.

But there was enough room to practice shooting. "I wonder what would happen if we tried shooting at his house," Astrid says grinning deviously.

"Let's not try it; I'm not in the mood to wake up anything that's been locked in there for the past twenty years." He handed her the gun, "for the moment let's try shooting at that sapling just over there."

After about twenty minutes, Torence had gone through his safety lesson and teacher her how to load it, (most of which Astrid already new) Astrid had managed to chop the tree down from a distance of forty feet. "Okay, Astrid, two more rounds and then were heading back," He says yawning handing her the bullets from his pocket. "Fine." She answers loading the rifle. She lifts it up against her shoulder and aims at one of the metal plates handing from the trees. Grinning deviously, she fires, the metal object hitting its target square in the center, with a horribly loud ding. The metal plate flies around violently.

"Bet you I can hit the same place twice."

"Have at it," he says aimlessly, far too tired to care about his sister's rantings. Astrid grin widens as she aims again. She fires just at the wind picks up, forcing the plate to fly up missing her bullet. "God Dammit." She says dropping the gun. Suddenly they are interrupted by the sound of horrid screeching, followed by angry barking. "Oh Holy crap Astrid you hit a wolf." Torence yells, bursting back awake. Within seconds four or five wolves ranging from dark to light gray dart, snarling out of the forest. "The house," Astrid says taking off for hit. Both high tail it across the clearing and jump over the porch railing. Astrid pries open the dirt cake front window, throws the gun in before diving in herself. Torence dashing in right behind her. He slams the window shut just at the wolves reach the porch. Their snarling and barking can be heard clearly through the thin walls. "That was closes." Astrid says panting.

"Yeah, no kidding." Both of them stare in horror as a rather large wolf scratches against the front window with its vast front paws. But the ancient glass holds up. The siblings breathe a sigh of relief.

"Must be all the dirt holding up," Astrid comments smirking.

"I have a feeling that's the only thing holding this place up," Torence says looking around.

To say the room was caked with dust would have been a vast understatement. It looked as if the entire house was slowly disintegrating from the inside out. Astrid makes a move toward the center of the room. "Careful the floor might be rotted out," her brother warns. Astrid gazes down at the soot covered floor boards beneath her. She jumps up and down watching the dust fall into the cracks. "Seem fine to me."She replies smiling mockingly. Torence glares back at her. "Don't worry I'll be careful, now come on," she says motioning for him to follow her.

The front room was relatively small considering the confines of the house, and other than a green moth eaten couch, a crumbling fire place and a bookcase filled with more dirt than books, it wasn't furnished by much. Astrid slowly made her way across the room to the door to the back portion of the house. Bits of dust fell from the ceiling overhead as she walks. Torence bends over and picks up the gun before following behind her.

She goes to turn the doorknob which falls out in her hand. She stares at it for a second before tossing it into a pile of dirt. With a swift kick the door budges open. This room at one point most likely would have been a kitchen. Though now the tiny room was filled to the brim with chests, all of which were pad locked and stacked one on top of the other to the ceiling, several antique looking tables, and an assortment of large boulders that their uncle appeared to be attempting to saw in half. "That would explain all the keys he was buried with." Torence says coughing and waving his hand in front of his faces as a cloud of dust and dirt pile in from the ceiling.

"I wonder what's in them," Astrid says nudging one of the chests with her foot. Torence shrugs. Astrid walks in ahead along the narrow passage way toward the center of the kitchen.

The table was stacked several feet high with books and broken china. "So that's what happened to great-great grandma's glassware, too bad it's completely ruined now."Astrid said picking up the pieces of a tiny teacup. She eye's the chests again. Then an idea strikes her. "Think we can shoot off the padlocks with your gun."  
"No." He says blankly. He stands rather stiffly in the confines of the makeshift hallway. Astrid turns back around. "I wonder if there's anything to pry them open with in the drawers."She says pulling open cabinets. They were empty minus dirt and spiders.

"I guess he used them all to scare away the ghosts."

"Well that sucks," Astrid shoves the door closed. Just then the sound scratching of the wolves on the side of the house increase. Both siblings remain silent for a moment; Astrid slowly backs toward her brother and the gun. As Torence turns around he accidentally knocks a small chest onto the floor with the butt of his gun. The scuffling outside slows. They let out a sigh of relief, not sure how sturdy the house is in terms of keeping out the beasts. Astrid then turns and stares at the chest that fell. It lies in a pile of dust gathering at the base of one of the table legs. It's small about the size of a small jewelry box and appears to be made of thatched sticks. She kneels down and begins picking apart the box, the wood is so rotten that most of the twigs disintegrate in her fingers. "It's filled with scraps of cloth," she says holding up the small flowery squares. He brother raises an eyebrow, taking it in his hand. "Hey look, Aunt Abi's wedding ring." She smiles holding it up in the pale moon light. "You can ask Mary to marry you with it." Astrid places it in her brother's palm.

"That's not Aunt Abi's she took her's with her when she drove out of town; might be great-grand ma Elspeth's though. But thanks."

"She wants to elope and move to Edinburgh."

"Have fun with that one," Astrid replies standing up. "Can't say I blame her though, wanting to get out of here." She pats her brother on the shoulder. "Come on lets go I think the wolves are gone."

It was past two a.m. according to the clock on her wall when she finally climbed back inside window exhausted, she flopped into bed not bothering to take her shoes off.

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**I finally wrote a decent length chapter :D I'm finally getting into the swing of fic writing ^^**

**Reviews are love : D Its 1:30 am so you better love me for this one.**

**Honestly how did Astrid come out character wise? I wanted to show her family life and her back story, not sure how Scottish it is but I personally am happy as a clam with it. How did the relationship Astrid have with her brother's feel?**

**WAS IT WONDERFUL or TERRIBLE? Comment please I'll love you forever and ever…..okay maybe not ever…. **

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	6. Chapter 6

**Dragonology handbook definition of a basilisk: shape shifters that are very hard to spot, because of their shape shifting their true shape is unknown. It is a myth that they kill with a glance rather they have a venomous bite has no antidote. And it prefers tender meat, the younger the better. *HINT FREAKIN HINT*.**

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_We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything more. _

_~Carl Gustav Jung_

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The sky above is star speckled; the clouds from the storm had receded. But she could spot another front moving in from the north. Aurore wiggles her nose as she stares up from lot in front of the hospital. "What is it now, you've been actin' weird all night, and now yer acting like a centaur staring at the sky like that?"

Aurore shrugs and holds up the chalk board. _Stars are pretty, not everything I do has to do with the greater fate of the universe you know. _

The old man chuckles, "Aurore you have been obsessed with the greater fate of the universe since before you got that damn dragon's eye." Her nostrils flare and she glares at him.

"Come on I'd like to get some sleep tonight, I do have work to do in the morn." Aurore sighs letting her anger go and steals one last glance at the imposing dark clouds to the north before walking on. It would not rain tomorrow; you couldn't smell it in the air, but it would rain the day after; she decided in her head. She opens the side door of the black shiny ford and slips into the shotgun seat, where Hiccup had sat only hours before. There was something ominous that rattled through her bones the moment she sat down, the child inside her begins to kick violently. She wiggles her nose at this.

Her basilisk morphs from a fly on the dashboard into a black and grey cat and curls up on her lap happily. Ernest jumps slightly at the sight. 'That thing still freaks me out," he mutters sticking the key in the ignition.

_Do you think Hiccup was attacked by one?_

"By what."

Aurore rolls her eyes. _A basilisk you twit._

"It would explain how it got into the house unnoticed," He says rubbing his chin, " but it wouldn't explain why it jumped out the window to escape being scene, a basilisk would have transformed into something small to go unnoticed… Unless it was one of those stupid ones that accidentally got stuck…" "Remember the one I showed that got suck half way between a cow and a dragon, that was a mess….Basilisk do not do well with panic." The cat in Aurore's lap glares angrily at the doctor understanding he is mocking his species. He stands up and turns to lie facing the door, transforming into a baby tiger in the process.  
"And I still can't believe you keep that one around. You're pregnant and basilisks love young meat. What will my son say when he sees you?"

Aurore rolls her eyes. _We have more pressing matters. Let me worry about my husband._

She frowns scribbling on the chalk board as the doctor pulls the automobile onto the main road.

_I cannot see the boy's future in the eye. _

"I take it that's not a good thing."

_When that happens he is either dead, going to die very, very soon or his destiny has come to a fork in which left and right are equally pulling him. The eye can only see the malleable parts of the future. Both are set so he just need to pick one._

He huffs. "And what do you think we should do about it."

_Make him your assistant_. She holds up the board smiling.

"No, no, no," he replies waving his finger," He has to earn that internship."

_Give me the intern; they can work with me in the lab. Then make Hiccup your assistant. Show him the dragons. _

Dr. Drake sighs, thinking for a moment, sinking down into the car seat. He peers over at Aurore out of the corner of his eye, still smiling. "Oh all right," he groans, "I suppose you'll want to pick the blasted intern out too." Aurore smiles brightly as a piece of glass in the morning sun.

_Well I am the one who's going to have to spend all day with them_. Her smile grows infinitely more devious. _Just bring me along as your personal chemist, when you do the presentation at the school. I'll pick the person and then you can still make the formal announcement so it all looks like your decision still._

Dr. Drake shakes his head at his son's young wife. "You my dear are like a mother spider, cunning and spinning a sticky web."

Aurore smirking smugly relaxes back in the warm leather seats petting the tiger curled up in her lap, content that she had gotten her way.

"You and that blasted dragon's eye," Drake mumbles angrily turning his attention back to the road.

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It was a dream, he could tell because the edges of everything were blurry and the color was muted compared to real life memory. Unsteadily his tiny body pushes open the back door. "Mamma Juice," he calls into the kitchen. He takes a clumsy step up onto the white and yellow tile floor. "MAMMA JUICE," his tiny voice calls louder this time. He can see his mother on the other side of the table standing on a chair fiddling with the chandelier. "MAMMMMA JUUUUUICE."Hiccup whines waving his bottle around in the air hoping to catch the attention of the dead woman.

He huffs and marches around the table. He tugs on the edge of her green and yellow sun dress. "MAMMA JUICE," he demands still tugging, attempting to hand her the bottle. Then he realizes his mother isn't standing on a chair. Her feet dangle inches from his face. Only this time a strange black snake is wrapped around her body. It eyes him flicking its tongue. Hiccup's eyes dart up. Black blood-like liquid is pouring from his mother's eyes, nose, and mouth; it forms the body of the snake as it falls. Hiccup screams.

The action blasts him back to real life. He wakes up breathing heavily in the hospital bed. His ribs hurt. It is midmorning and the sky is bright but cloudy.

The room is about twenty feet by twenty feet, four white empty walls, and a window. The door is directly across from the bed. There's two arm chairs on the right side of the bed, one faded green the other a yellow and pink floral pattern that is frankly ugly. Both most likely were donated.

Rooms are usually double, so his father must have paid for him to have his own, either that or they gave him his own to prevent him from going psycho and killing his roommate. Hiccup rolls his eyes to himself at that.

A knock comes from the door, a nurse peaks in. A young woman with her blonde hair pinned up under her nurse's hat. "Good you're awake." She also has a thick London accent. "The authorities have been waiting to interview you for awhile now but the doctor wouldn't let them in." She pokes her head out in the hall. "Alright you can come in now boys." Then Hiccup notices the tray she's carrying.

"Now you better eat up you'll need your strength to recover," she commands in a saccharine tone placing it gently on his lap. Hiccup looks down at it; its canned peaches, something between yogurt and cottage cheese, and oatmeal in different compartments on a metal tray. At least it looked fairly edible.

Hiccup shrugs and spoons some oatmeal into his mouth as two surly looking officers walked in. The larger of the two he recognizes as Fishless' father. He has shoulders as broad has a horse's back and the neck of a turtle. He has a short tuff of dirty blonde hair and dull blue eyes. Hiccup remembers him to be a soft spoken man. The other man is much shorter but no less burly, he carries a pencil and pad of paper in one hand. He has a brown caterpillar mustache and is balding. "Hello," he says warmly enough, "I'm detective Smith and this officer Ingerman. We'll be askin' ye some questions about the previous night's events."

The smaller man pulls up the floral armchair beside his bed. "Alright," he says flipping over the top of the pad. "Can you tell us who attacked you?" Hiccup remembers the reactions of his father and the doctor.

"I don't remember," he lies.

He raises his eyebrows slightly, "You don't remember anything." Hiccup shakes his head. "Okay, can you tell us the last person you saw before the attack."  
"Aurora Drake, she gave me a ride home because of the rain." Detective Smith eyes the other man strangely.

"Aurore Drake, the pregnant woman we met in the hall, talking to the Mayor last night." Ingerman tells him in a gruff voice.

"Oh right, umm," he mutters glancing over the previous pages of his notepad, "She said when she found you; you were laying down in the gutter. Can you confirm?"

"Yeah I tripped," Hiccup replies slightly embarrassed.

"What were you doing right before the attack if you can remember?"

"I was going to hang up my wet clothes."

Both officer's exchange looks. The larger one shrugs. "That's really not a lot to go on, you can tell us anything else, was anything strange going on, any strange noises or footprints."

"Not that I can recall…uh the electricity was out." The officer absently jots it down.

"Alright son thanks for all your help." Smith says clapping him on the shoulder. Hiccup sucks in a breath, from the pain in his bruised shoulder as they exit the room. _Why do they always feel the need to do that?_

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ALL REVIEWERS WILL BE GIVEN A BOX FULL OF PUPPIES. :l

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	7. Chapter 7

_The existence of forgetting has never been proved: We only know that some things don't come to mind when we want them._

_~Friedrich Nietzsche_

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It was sunny, almost too sunny. Spring was gone along with its cool weather. Hiccup was none to a fan of hot weather either. The sun beating down on his face from where he laid on his stomach on a small wooden platform in the high limbs the giant oak tree in the front yard was a pure annoyance. However he had been spending greater and greater amounts of time outside to avoid his father. Stoick hadn't had the nerve to look him in the eye directly for awhile. The tension in the house would require a machete and a circus freak strong man to cut it.

It had been almost four days since his release from the hospital and his father luckily, hadn't mentioned anything about school. Though there was a jumbled heap of homework sent home by his teacher cluttering his desk. Hiccup inwardly groaned at the thought of Ms. Steffensens. He hadn't touched it and wasn't about to any time soon. There was less than four weeks of school left maybe his father would not force him to go back. However that was unlikely, finals were coming up. The looks from the women down at the grocery store last time he had ventured into public had been enough; Hiccup could only picture what school would bring.

He rolls over on his back, cringing slightly at the pain in his ribs. He's fine only if he doesn't move. There's an albino squirrel chewing on an acorn staring intently down at him from the branch above him. The albino squirrel had been hanging around the oak tree for several years now, so he had gotten used to seeing it. Hiccup sighs. His mind had been an empty chasm for awhile. Without the ability to daydream his life had become infinitely duller. His conscious was uneasy itching to think and create but his brain did not hold the energy. He sighs again closing his eyes. He doses listening to the gentle rustling of wind in the leaves. Until something tiny forcefully hits him square in the forehead. "What the heck." Hiccup says sitting up on his elbows. "An acorn?" He eyes the small nut sitting on his stomach oddly. He glances around for the squirrel. Nowhere in sight. Suddenly another one whirls through the air barely missing his head. "Alight," he says standing slowly. "I know that when squirrels start attacking it's probably best to go inside."

Carefully, he steps off the platform onto the thick branch holding it up. Something he has done thousands times over the years. Arms straight out to the sides, one foot in front of the other, he makes his way over to roof. He easily clears the leaf patches and enters the open air, only wind and sunshine surrounding him. It was a distance of the less than fifteen meters in all. He'd climb out here at night as a child and stare at the stars. "HICCUP OH GOODNESS HICCUP FOR THE LOVE OF GOD IN HEAVEN DON'T JUMP SUICIDERS GO TO HELL!" Hiccup winces, it old Mrs. Macergulp; the over protective old lady from down the street. She stands firmly on the sidewalk clutching her miniature schnauzer for dear life. "No, no, no," he calls down to her, "I'm just trying to get down."

"DON'T LIE TO ME YOU ARE TRYING TO JUMP AND END YOUR LIFE!"

"NO," Hiccup starts again trying to control his temper, "I'm just trying to walk across this branch and get on the roof, so I can get down. Like this." He leaps artfully from his spot on the branch to the roof. "See."

"YOUNG MAN YOU HAVE THE DEVIL IN YOUR HEART, AND A LYING DEMON TOO, LET GOD INTO YOUR HEART AND DON'T JUMP INTO THE PITS OF HELL FROM THAT ROOF." Her voice shakes as she waves her arms around so filled with fury she drops the dog. Neighbors have stopped to stare. Hiccup smacks himself in the face. _So much for trying to stay out of the public eye._

"HICCUP." Hiccup grimaces at the disappointed voice booming his name. Cringing he turns to face his father.

"Dad I swear," He pleads, "I wasn't trying to jump, I was just sitting up in the tree and now I was just trying to get down." Hiccup holds an uneasy smile and waits for his father to react.

Stoick sighs, wiping his hand down his face. "Just get in the house Hiccup," he replies aspirated pointing toward the house.

Hiccup sits down on the edge of the roof, and pushes his feet onto the ivy ladder attached to the walls of the house. His fingers dig into the rain gutters as he reaches with his right hand to latch onto the ivy. He quickly scrambles down and lands soundly on the ground. A small group of wide-eyed people now stand on the sidewalk across the street. "I can handle things from here Mrs. Macergulp, you and Bernard should continue on your walk," Stoick tells her evenly. Eyeing the crowd angrily, he ushers Hiccup through the open the door and closes it firmly. "Dad I can explain."

"I don't want to hear it son, just get dressed and get in the car. We're going to see Dr. Drake."

Hiccup huffs, "Come on Dad just listen to me."

"No son," his father interrupts him," I said I don't want to hear it; we're going to see Dr. Drake. That's the second time this week." His father turns solemnly down the hall toward the kitchen.

Hiccup sighs and scratches the back of his head. His shoulders slump over as he heads over to the stairs. It was the second time that week; he'd been accused of trying to off himself.

* * *

Hiccup leans his head up against the automobile window and watches the rolling hills of the country side go by. The grass is dark green from the all the rain. Berk is located on the Northeastern side of Scotland, the Drake manor sitting on the west side of the island closest to the main land. Hiccup sighs and glances over at his father. His hands are clenched on the wheel and eyes staring intently forward. Stoic the Vast Haddock back is hunched slightly over in the car to avoid bumping his head on the ceiling. There was something heart wrenching and humorous about him at the same time. Hiccup turns his attention back to the window, looking as his father gave him a hollowed out feeling between the bridge of his stomach and the bottom of his heart. Looking out the window gave him something else to focus on and gave him the ability to momentarily ignore the feeling. The sight of the hills rushing past was slightly soothing in its repetitiveness, each one equal and as un-foreboding as the last going up at a slight incline toward the east and the forest outlining it. The sunshine of early afternoon was depressing though.

The sound of the car turning off the main road onto the gravel drive way wakes Hiccup from the haze. Hiccup sighs shallowly as he turns frontward. "This is it eh?" He says.

Hiccup's eyes widen slightly in surprise, the manor is actually more of a castle. Deep gray stone spiral towers, lined by forest foliage from behind and a foreboding front wall guarding the heavy looking door. Other than the unassuming garden between the door and the front wall the building is shockingly simple. "You'd think it would be more spectacular."

Stoick merely glares at him as he pulls the automobile to a stop, clearly not in the mood for the antics. Hiccup huffs pushing open the car door; stepping onto the gravel.

His father shifts uncomfortably and sticks his hands in his pockets before continuing toward the entrance. A dull shadow falls over them once they breach the arched opening of the main wall. Small bushes and herb like weeds cloud the sides of the small cave like entry way. The sides nearly consumed with vines that dangle from the ceiling like living veils. It was more beautiful than ominous though, Hiccup notices. Stoick grabs hold of the knocker, in the shape of a sword and shield, and raps on the worn wooden doors. The noise echoes somberly within. Hiccup suddenly feels something on his shoulder. He jumps half a foot almost crashing into his father. He lowers his arms, its only Aurore, bright eyed and smiling. "Whoa, you scared me." There's a bench nestled amongst the vines, likely they just walked right past her.

"Stoick Haddock," his father says offering a hand, "You must be the Junior Drake's young wife." She takes it, nods sweetly and gives a small curtsy. She scoots past them, presses her arm to the door, motioning for them to come inside.

The air inside is much cooler than the air outside, much dimmer also. Hiccup dully notes. The entry way, a long lean stone hallway, soars above their heads. Mrs. Drake pulls a bell off a small table and rings it. An old oriental maid scurries in. The tiny woman hands Aurore her famous chalk board. _What kind of tea do you like?_

"No tea thanks, but I'll take a cup of coffee," Stoick says.

"I'll just have whatever," his son mumbles. Stoick rolls his eyes at his offspring's impoliteness. Aurore seems not to notice and waves from them to follow her deeper into the ancient castle manor.

_Ernest will be with you in a few minutes. _

She leads them through a large lab room lined with cabinets and three rows of counters scattered with varying eccentric scientific assortments that Hiccup can only hopelessly ogle at. The back is a flood of glass overlooking the woodlands below making all the smooth metal instruments shine. Aurore turns down a hallway and ushers them in to a large sitting room, decked in deep purple and ornate dark wood sofas and coffee tables. The room is horribly dim. Aurore throws open the spiral patterned curtains basking the room with light. _Honestly this place is depressing in the dark and the maids keep shutting them._ The woman shakes her head as she motions again for them to sit down as she throws open another set of curtains.

An Indian woman hustles in with a load tray of elegant blue and white china. She sets the tray on the coffee table before bowing and leaving.

Aurore motions for them to sit down again, more snappily this time. Stoick and Hiccup awkwardly take a seat on adjacent couches. She smiles faintly at this before turning to knock on a polished door that Hiccup had not noticed before. A murmur answers within. She peaks in the door. "Send them him, in a few minutes, and keep his father occupied during the visit." That last part fainter than the rest. Hiccup wonders for a second if his father heard, for Stoick is seated farther from the door.

With that Aurore gently closes the door. She smiles again and bustles to take a seat beside Hiccup. He notices she is dressed much more formally than the day with in the car. Her olive green shirt is much more structured and has elegant circle buttons. The skirt appears to have lots more white cotton petticoats making it puffier and her hair was up in some sort of curly style on the top back of her head. Today she was dressed the part of an aristocrat.

She takes hold of the teapot and hands Hiccup an empty tea cup. _Look,_ she mouths. Hiccup glances over at his father holding the cup of coffee. A small grayish purple blub sits nestled in the cup, as she pours scalding water over it, it blooms. Hiccup raises his eyebrows; well he's never seen tea do anything that interesting before. Aurore takes her own cup gently sipping it and smiling. As Stoick watches her something clicks in the back of his mind. He's seen her before, no not just that day in the hospital, or the night before he realizes staring into her doll like eyes, a film laying over a memory, a sleeping neuron reattaching. When you do not know who, where, or why you remember, only that you do.

Stoick found the notion very unsettling.

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**A box filled with anything you can possibly imagine to anyone who reviews :l because apparently no one likes puppies anymore. I'll try and get the next chapter up soon. **

**XD lots of love ~Opaul**


	8. Chapter 8

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**Hope all of you are as happy as I am. I own nothing and have fun reading.**

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_Security is mostly a superstition._

_It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. _

_Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing._

_~Hellen Keller_

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The door to the office opens. Out steps the doctor, the same ear to ear mustache, but this time with a smile to match. "Hello Mayor," he says shaking Stoick's hand. Ernest Drake was a tall man with a beer gut and wiry white hair. His dress was far less formal than his daughter-in-law, a pair of gray-green cotton slacks and a dark maroon wool sweater.

"Good day, Dr. Drake, pleasure to meet you," His father replies standing. "I'd like to thank you for….examining Hiccup."

The elderly man chuckles heartily, "Heh, it's no trouble really all in a day's work Mayor."The doctor gestures to Hiccup, " I'll right come on back and will find out if you're crazy or not." He takes a pocket watch out of his pocket, "We'll be done in about an hour, why don't you give the Mayor a tour of the grounds while you wait."

Aurore grins, what Hiccup can see is a forced smile, and writes, "Of Course," on the chalk board. In an over elegant manor she rises and motions for Stoick to follow her. With a smidge of uneasiness he follows behind her and the Indian maid, who was standing outside beside the door.

Hiccup follows after the doctor into the office. Ernest sits down behind a disheveled desk. Papers and books are askew on the many shelves. "Why don't you have seat," he mumbles pointing to the two plush arm chairs in front of the desk while searching through a mound of papers. "Hiccup, never become a professor its more paper work than the money's worth." He grumbles. Hiccup attempts to sit. A terrible hissing cat lays curled in the chair reading to strike. "That's Aurore's bas—CAT, best leave it alone, it's meaner than a three day old hissing cockroach."

"Found it," he holds up a piece of paper. "Alright boy," he says reading it over. "Have ye been hearing any voices from people that aren't there?"

"No," he answers taken aback.

"Have you been seein' anything strange? Dead relatives, yellow unicorns, gnomes, talking inadiment objects?"

"No."

"Any off sighted colors, anything red when it should be green."

"No." Hiccup drones.

"Well you aren't a schizophrenic if that's any good news….least I think so." He turns over another piece of paper. "Okay, why don't you tell me about the dragon that attacked you?"

"What dragon," Hiccup lies, blinking, in fake surprise.

Ernest sighs eyeing his lie. "Report says you shot up out of bed when the officers mentioned that they thought that the injuries were self inflicted in a drugged rage," he retorts evenly folding his hands. "You clearly stated I am not crazy I was attacked by a dragon." Hiccup could feel his face grow warm. "Now why don't you explain that?"

"The…the morphine?" He stumbles.

"I rather doubt it. If you were on enough morphine to make you delusional you wouldn't be capable of rational enough thought to know that the officers we accusing you of anything." "Soooo, why don't you tell me about the dragon?"

Hiccup can feel his jaw drop slightly which he quickly brings back up. He'd been caught in a lie. He leans his arm on the arm rest and leans his head in his hand. "It was in the bathtub."

"And do you reckon it got into the bathtub."

"I honestly… have no idea."

"What color was it?" Hiccups stares at him strangely for a second. "Red."

"What kind of red?"

"I don't know it was dark."

"What was the last thing you remember before blacking out?"

"It was about to bite me with its really big fangs."

"Have you ever seen everything like that before?"

Hiccup thought for a second. "Yes…"He starts unsurely. "Earlier when I slipped in the street, I saw it in the drainage pit, almost got me then, but Aurore scared it away with the car horn."

Ernest Drake raises his eyebrows, "Damn basilisk was pretenin' to be a knucker." He spits under his breath.

"What?"

"Do you believe in dragons?"

"No cause, dragons aren't real."

"Are you so sure about that?" Ernest says smiling.

"Yes, yes, WAIT, what's this have to do with anything. Why do you even care, are you trying to prove I'm crazy by getting me to admit I believe in magical mumbo-jumbo." Hiccup stammers flailing his arms.

"Do you really believe it's just a bunch of hack nonsense?"

Hiccup stares on passionately trying to save face, "YES. I do."

"I don't really believe that you do, in fact you know what," the doctor retorts grinning. "I'm going to show you something. Come on, follow me," he says getting up. He walks over to a book shelf out of the way near the edge of the office revealing a door. "Pretty nifty, aye, one the perks of living in an ex stronghold of the Drake clan." He reaches for something on a high shelve and pulls out a book. He opens to the leather cover to expose cut out pages holding a thick iron key. He sticks it in the padlock and wrenches the old door open.

"Well get off your ass if you want to see anything." Hiccup pops ups, the cat, which Hiccup could have sworn was a different color, following behind. Behind the stone arching doorway is a skinny descending spiral stair case. Correction a very dark descending spiral stair case. Hiccup gazes into the chasm warily. "What you afraid of spiders." The doctor sneers. Something in Hiccups gut told him this was a bad idea, but something the bit of his heart told him to follow the elderly man. The cat rubs against his leg and prances into the shadows.

"No." Hiccup stammers puffing out his chest dramatically, "I'm descended from Vikings and Vikings aren't afraid of anything."

"Oh please I've seen fish bones with more might."

"Hey."

"Come on fishbone." The Ernest says lighting a lantern.

* * *

It felt as though they'd been walking for miles. "How many stairs is this?"

"Only about four flights," Dr. Drake answers.

"And where exactly are we going."

"To the dungeons."

"And what exactly is in the dungeons."

"Some interesting live specimens I'd like to show you."

"What kind of…live specimens?" Hiccup questions. Just then they reached the base of the stairwell, and yet another thick wooden door. This one had a minute iron bar window. "The kind I have to show you or as you wouldn't believe me," he says pushing open the door, "And call me Gobber, Dr. Drake is too formal, and Ernest makes me sound like a snooty feather britches aristocrat. Plus Aurore hates it, and making her tick is pretty entertain'…..well most of the time."

Hiccup feels his eyes about pop out of his socket as the door swings fully open. A monstrous crimson dragon with its wings spread, roaring at them, from behind a row of steel bars. It reels back as if to strike them with fire just as Dr. Drake shoves up a level on the stony wall beside them. A strong mist feathers out pipes running through the ceiling. "Almost forgot, the dampness keeps any of 'em from roasting you to char…." Hiccup watches the disgruntled dragon, not catching the end of Gobber's monologue, pace back around its cell and curl up growling angrily at them. "…but best you have one of these," he says throwing a tarp-esk rain coat over his head, " its fireproof, they don't you know you that well and might think I've bringing them a new kind of fresh meat, well a fishbone to chew on in your case..."

"That's…that's a dragon." Hiccup stutters pointing.

"Well what were you expecting, honestly, and there's more where that came from. And don't stick your fingers out, the little ones will bite 'em off." Gobber holds up his hand in front of his face and for the first time Hiccup notices that three of the fingers are missing, replaced by wooden ones. "Why, do you have a dragon in here?"

"Don't mind Nora she just ripped her wing membrane on something, which I stitched up, now we as just waiting for it to heal, and she's a little temperamental from not being able to fly." he tells Hiccup strolling along a wide hallway to the right. The ceilings of the dungeon are almost higher than the ones in the great hall, each side lined with cells with great arching steel bars, in varying of sizes.

"And why did you go near a ferocious beast to stitch up its wing?"

Gobber stops and looks back at him, "Because that's part of being a dragonologist."

Hiccup stops short, "A what, exactly."

"You know, a dragonologist, someone who studies the biology, sociology, and conservation of dragons, and dragon sub species, like basilisks and cockatrices."

"Wait, you study dragons," Hiccups says pulling his arms through the cloak's sleeves, rushing to keep up with Gobber.

"No, I study bunny rabbits, dragons is more of just a hobby."

Hiccup smiles still staring at the cages on either side of the hallway, different arrays of dragons, ranging from absolutely enormous to barely larger than a cat. A two headed one leans up against the bars smiling deviously at him with great yellow eyes. "Does Aurore know these are down here?"

"Of course, she and my son are dragonologists also. She stays out of the way nowadays due to the baby. And my son's in Siberia dealing with some orphan Frost's chicks."

"Frosts?"

"Draco Nix, frost dragon, it's a migrating breed that likes goes between the two poles."

"Oh, how many breeds of dragons are there?" Hiccup questions as they reach the end of the dungeons to yet another thick wooden door.

"I have no idea, no one does, that two headed one, is a new discovery of mine just this May." He says pushing open the door. "This is my lab, don't touch anything," he adds quickly.

It's much messier than the lab upstairs. A mix of labeled and unlabeled jars with organs and small animals floating in horribly colored liquid are strewn on top of the lab tables and cockeye shelves. A layer of dust covers all of them and the metal instruments are smudged with finger prints. Fluorescent bare light bulbs hang from the ceiling. Other than the mess, it looks exactly like any other scientific lab Hiccup's ever seen. "Like I said don't touch anything, half this stuff could kill you. Now," Gobber opens a door on the opposite side this one leading outdoors to the woods, "Onto what else I wanted to show you."

"You have something else that tops the hallway full of dragons," Hiccup retorts breathlessly.

"Well no, but I think you like to see it also." Dr. Drake props open the door with a cane shaped like dragon's head and begins walking down an overgrown path into the forest.

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**All reviewers will be granted one wish by the magical gum drop fairy.**

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	9. Chapter 9

**EXTRA COOKIE!**

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_Vision is not enough,_

_it must be combined with venture. _

_It is not enough to stare up the steps,_

_we must step up the stairs._

_~Vaclav Havel_

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"It's a statue." A woman, presumably the Blessed Virgin, stands arms wide in corroding marble. Vines wrap lovingly around her limbs and a blade sits under her left palm. A sword blade with no hilt or handle protruding from her hand to the base of the statue, circling her feet is a beautiful, stony sleeping dragon.

"Read the inscription." Old Norse runes were elegantly carved into the base below them were etched the English translation in knifed graffiti.

_What does man love more than life,_

_Hate more than death or mortal strife,_

_What the poor have, the rich require,_

_And what contented men desire,_

_What misers spend, and spindrifts save,_

_And all men carry to the grave._

"It's a riddle."Hiccup says finally. But Dr. Drake doesn't seem to be paying attention. Instead he is gazing back down the path.

"Well by thunder look who came to see us," he says quietly. A shadow slinks against the tree line crouching as it slowly walks. It scampers up a pine tree and perches up on a high limb overlooking them. The dragon stares at them like a kitten about to prance on a cricket for the first time, as much curiosity as malice.

"Stand back," Gobber warns. "Ole toother isn't a friendly as he used to be."

"What kind of dragon is that?" Hiccup asks feeling the blood drain from his face as he backs up closer to the statue.

"It's a mix of a knucker and a European, very rare, considering the two breeds don't get along much, can only be conceived during a thunderstorm and they're always black for some reason. We dragonologists call them Nightfuries."

"Is it going to eat us?" Hiccup never has a chance to hear Dr. Drake's answer. The dragon leaps off the branch toward him, wings wide. And Hiccup feels a reoccurring fear of his previous encounter with a wild dragon flash before his eyes as the black creature flies toward him. It lands soundlessly on the ground in front of him. He curls up bracing himself. The dragon pounces and shoves him down into the leave strewn ground. Hiccup gazes up into the green moon like dragons eyes unable to move. The dragon stares back at him for second before beginning to poke Hiccup with its nose, sniffing him in a friendly manor.

"All right Toothless, be nice," the doctor urges. The dragon huffs, breathing out through his nose, sitting back on its hunches, he turns his head to the side eyeing the boy with piercing eyes. It suddenly licks his head and darts up into the trees behind him disappearing into the shadows of the trees. Hiccup slowly opens one eye, and then the other, unclenching his body.

"Well that was weird," the doctor comments gaping in the direction the creature disappeared.

"Okay well at least it didn't eat me. And why is it called Toothless, that thing had teeth."

"Don't ask me your mum named him, raised him from a chick in fact," Gobber glances at him, "Yeah Ole toothless hasn't been the same since…your mum past, almost as fast as she went berserk after Edan died."

Hiccup looks over at Gobber, "Whose Edan?"

* * *

Astrid smiles at the wind rustles through the long grass entangled in her hair cool against the heat of late afternoon. The sheep have been herded and her chores and homework are oddly finished early giving her an unusual moment to lie in the grass. She breathes in the fresh summer air and lets her mind waft into gentle sleep. The rustling wind and brutal sun recede.

She feels her perception shift the wind blowing in a whispering fashion from behind her. It takes up the ends of her hair sending them soaring like gulls wings. She relaxes her grip on her seat feeling the empty space fill in around. She opens her eyes slowly to a soft faded sky. Clouds drift easily in it. She breathes taking in the cool air drifting out over the edge. Astrid turns her head. A woman with hair like fire sits on the bench next to her. Her firey hair and flowing white dress drifting in the wind. She too gazes out over the abyss. "What is this place?"Astrid asks.

"The edge of the world," she answers in a voice that reminds Astrid of the sound of unhurried falling raindrops and cave echos.

"But I thought the world was round."

"The physical world perhaps," the woman says. "But here before you is the edge.

"The edge of what?"

"The edge of it all." She answers simply.

"The edge of all of what?"

The woman shrugs, "All there is, this world, this life and the one coming after it bridge here."

"Am I dead," Astrid says, the question for some reason not breaking through the utter calm placed upon her by this place.

"No." The woman smiles.

"Am I dreaming?"

"Sort of, physically perhaps, but this is all quite real."

"Then why am I here," Astrid asks looking back to the misty sky for a moment. The woman turns for the first time to look at her. The woman's irises are brilliant green, inhumanly green and stunning, the color of fresh spring buds. They appear to glow against her tan freckled skin. Astrid nearly gasps.

"Because the final piece is needed and I am going to give it to you."

"Final piece of what?"

"I cannot tell you, for finding the reason for it is part of the journey."

"What journey?"

"The one your on."

"Why are you giving the piece to me if finding it is part of the process?" Astrid inquires still calm as ever leaning back against the bench.

"Because I'm tying a knot in your fate string in with the others and the big guy upstairs doesn't believe the great death should be used as a weapon and is giving your side a leg up. "

"Why?"

The woman chuckles lightly, doesn't answer and only smiles tenderly. She takes her hands as if lifting a necklace off of herself, which appears slowly in her hands out of thin air and then places it around Astrid's neck. A leather string laced through an earthy stone amulet of a sleeping dragon protecting three crystal gemstones. She pats Astrid's cheek and strokes her hair as if she was a small child. "Goodbye Astrid, take care of my duckling."

Astrid breathes in deeply, hot humid air filling her lungs, feeling the physical world encase her sleeping form. The grass and the wind caressing her face where the woman's hand once did like a mother to a child. She can feel the wait of the amulet against her chest but when she peers down with half an eye to look at it, it is not there. But she can feel it, stone, leather and all.

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Please Review! With love

~Opaul

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	10. Chapter 10

**I'll be foreshadowing events that you won't get without the back ground, don't worry they are both very short only about a paragraph.**

**www. flowers-by-marilyn. com/meanings-of-hydrangea. html (remove spaces)**

**The 3rd dragon mentioned is important because some of the events relate vaguely to it. ****www. draconika .com/famous .php**

**Periodic table was invented in 1869.**

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_All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. _

_~Anatole France_

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Gobber stared at him wide eyed. "You are kidding me. Your father never told you about him." He says sternly.

Hiccup shook his head slowly, "No."

"Nobody, not the maid, or the busybody ladies in town or hell even your schoolmates should have known told you something!"

"No ," Hiccups says scratching the back of his head, "most of those other people kind of ignored most of the time," he continues looking away, "and I don't think the maid speaks English."

Gobber sighs, breathing out slowly through his nostrils, "Your mum and Stoick had a child preceding you. He died when he was about two. "

Hiccup's eyes bug out, "WHAT."

"You have a brother named Edan who died before you were born."

"You're joking?"He blurts.

"Wish I was Hiccup," the man says somberly clapping him on the shoulder.

"WAIT, wait a minute, what do you mean mother raised him from an egg," Hiccup shots motioning in the direction the beast ran off of. The doctor nods a devious grin growing beneath his mustache.

"You're not trying to say that she," Hiccup's mouth hung agape as he stutters, "She studied dragons too."

"One of the best loved the blasted beasts to death." Hiccup stares on dumbfounded for a minute. She loved dragons, unto her death. The image of the great silk dream creature standing in his kitchen comes to mind. Hiccup scratches his forhead. He sticks his hands in his pockets and looks up at the sky. Maybe she did intended for him to continue where she left off. A wind ripples through the forest, jangling the leaves, and brushing up against his skin like fingertips. And the dragon hadn't killed him...yet. His feet sink into the damp muddy dirt slightly. He looks back over at the ominous statue that the man had brought him to see. The blade caught his eye, a miniscule inscription was written on it as well but this one did not have an English translation scribbled beneath it. And it was not nearly as neatly engraved as the formal poem.

The look on the on the woman's face was mainly expressionless with a slight glint of warmth in the way she tilts her head and gazes down at the subject looking up at her. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees a small glint of color, an overgrown familiar flowering plant growing at the edge of the clearing.

"So, how'd you like to be my apprentice?" Gobber offers breaking the silence.

"Umm…I think I've been almost killed by dragons enough for one life time."

"So you are not going to be following in the footsteps of your mother then."

Hiccup grimaces shaking his head as he starts toward the path back to the castle, "No."

"So you're going to be like your dad then and become mayor," The professor says sarcastically.

"HEY, don't mock me." He retorts flailing slightly.

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Hiccup replies turning to stalk off down the path through the thicket.

"Well you better find out soon boy you're almost a man."He calls after him. There is seriousness in his tone that makes Hiccup pause. This was his last year of school and didn't really have any plans to do anything afterwards. Hiccup sighs, his gut told him this was a horrible idea, and "Fine I'll be your apprentice, happy now." He shouts back. Hiccup can feel the smug grin drilling into his back by the professor as he trudges down the path.

* * *

Dr. Drake gruffly shoves the book shelf in front of the door. "Remember green book third shelf from the top." He replies tapping it. "It's the one with gold sword on this side." Hiccup nods. He's strangely exhausted. His limbs feel rather heavy. _He had brother that died before him. And his mother hanged himself. _In short his life had begun to feel like an ancient Greek epic.

His father and Aurore are stiffly seated on the sofas having afternoon tea. Her face brightens at the sight of them. She holds up her chalk board as she stands. _I have something to show you. _She grips him by the arm and half drags half leads forcefully out of the room.

"What is it you have to show me," he asks as she drags him down the hallway. She doesn't stop to answer. As soon as they reach the light filled lab she whips around, a look of hopefulness plastered across her face. _Did you except the apprentice ship?_

Hiccup nods. Just then he notices subtle scrapes and tiny burns on her pale white hands, yet they somehow did not disfigure them. They are still white and smooth despite them. "Yeah," he stammers. _Maybe she really did study dragons. _But looking up into the gentle eyes of the aristocratic woman it was difficult imagine her facing off one of the enormous beasts he had seen earlier.

She brushes a bit of hair out of his face with her hand. _Good_, she scribbles beneath the other words. "But my dad hasn't exactly said yes yet."

_Do you think that will be a problem?_

"Maybe," he says scratching the back of his neck. Aurore wiggles her nose as she inspects him at eye level. _Wait here_, she writes suddenly in chalk. She turns and disappears down a hallway Hiccup has yet to venture down.

He breathes deeply at the vast size of the room, not as tall at the great hall or the dungeons but twice as wide. Every inch of space crammed neatly with different assortment of scientific objects with weird names he cannot even begin to place. He gulps, for a second wondering what he may be getting himself into. He walks over to the window gawking at the expansive woods that stretch our behind the castle, possibly even to the sea. Little bits of grey smoke drift in faint streams against the blue sky. For a second Hiccup wonders about who are the creators of them.

His sight the window is suddenly interrupted by sky blue blossoms being shoved in his face. Hiccup takes a step back and looks at Aurore holding out the stems to him. "Uh…Why are you giving me flowers?" He says awkwardly, taking them.

Aurore rolls her eyes playfully. _The polite response would be thank you; did your father teach you no manners? Plus I think they'll help._

At this, Hiccup smiles. "But how are they supposed to help." She only winks and wiggles her nose before handing them to Hiccup. "Thanks," he says, shrugging. She smiles down at him, drawing him a gentle motherly hug. Hiccup is slightly taken aback not used to random acts of affection. But something else worried him, the hug felt natural, not awkward they way adults usually acted when they hugged him for the first time which was something few adults did, he didn't know her but she certainly knew him.

* * *

Stoick stands looking out the window while Dr. Drake helps himself to the small finger sandwiches on the tray the maid brought in. "He has accepted the position of becoming my apprentice you know he could learn to be a scientist or a chemist or something. And you have the money send him school."

"Somehow I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not, might give me a better chance to keep an eye on him. We know something went wrong either in his head or when he was attacked maybe I can coax it out of him Stoick."

"I don't know, I just want to keep him close to home for awhile, out of trouble and out from under prying eyes."

"Oh," the doctor says gulping down an entire cup of tea, "And how long do you plan to do that? You can't keep him locked away in that house forever. You need to prepare him for life not hide him from it. Unless you think the boy's mental state is bad enough that he's a danger to his own safety and needs to be sent to an asylum. " Gobber can see the younger man cringe. "And letting him study under me would give me a better chance to fully diagnosis the boy's under lying problems."

Stoick sighs. For once he manages to keep his anger from exploding. "I'll think about it."

"Goody it's settled then. I'll see you boy first thing in the morning."

Stoick turns and glares at him. "I said I'll think about it."

* * *

Astrid had discovered that she could see the amulet in a warped reflection. The flat reflections of a mirror revealed nothing, but the glare in the back of a shined spoon or the milk in her cereal showed the stone dragon curled up around a pile of jewels. The fact she could feel the weight of the object around her neck at all times made waving off the experience with the woman as only a dream even more difficult.

She shifted in and out of day dreams often only to be broken by the teacher rapping her ruler against the chalk board, her mother dropping a copper pot into the suds filled sink in front of her, the voices of her brothers yelling at her to pay attention because some of the sheep had wandered off or the sight of Ruffnut chunking a rotten apple at her head. It was unlike her thoughts to wander and it was slowly driving her mad, none of which was not helping her study in hopes of gaining the internship under Dr. Drake. Astrid huffs tapping the eraser tip of her pencil on the text spread out on the desk in front of her. She tosses the pencil aside letting it roll onto the scuffed classroom floor.

The bell rang for the end of lunch. A few stragglers shuffle inside most of the class already present, minus one notoriously empty seat. Hiccup the insane had after his notorious incident never returned to class. And no one expected him to, everyone merely assumed he descend into oblivion and eventually either have his body found on the side of the train tracks or take to collecting stamps and talking to imaginary people.

Astrid sits up fully as Ms. Steffensen enters the room. She's wearing her stiff gray suit; her hair tied impossibly even tighter signifying her anxiety for the day. Her appearance is even more rigid than normal. The sight of their usually cool collected teacher in a nervous state did not help the nerves of her students. Astrid clears her head, she does not have to ponder what is real and what is not at the moment, and she has an impression to make. "Alright class the Professor Ernest Drake and his assistant will be here at any minute, anyone who finds it funny to make a fool of themselves will be failed for the year." Her pupils dart back and forth across the rows of her students. None makes to move or speak.

A knock comes from the door; Ms. Steffensen opens it wide and attempts to smile sincerely as she ushers the Professor and his assistant in. Astrid eyes widen at the sight of his assistant. _A woman._ And pregnant no less, her done up and wearing in professional lab coat. Professor Ernest Drake sets his briefcase down on Ms. Steffensen's desk. "

Well hello students," the doctor announces turning to face them, "I am Ernest Drake, Professor Ernest Drake to be exact. This is my daughter-in-law, assistant and chemist Dr. Aurore Drake. She is mute so be aware of that." Jaws drop as she smiles smugly. "I'm going to interview the class and whoever shows the most promise at the end of the day gets the internship and all the merry hoo-ha that goes with it. Understand." Several people nod absently. Opportunities like this in Berk come only once.

"Good," he says clapping his hands, "Let's get on with it then." He reaches into his brief case and pulls out a stack of papers. "These are your tests; the answers combined with good recommendations from your teacher get you the internship. No talking, hand them in when you're done. It a pretty straight forward process," He grins handing out the first, "with that good luck and I hope you bribed Mrs. Steffensen."

Astrid peers down at the packet of questions in front of her. Algebraic equations, _easy enough_ Astrid says to herself scribbling down numbers. Within three minutes she was finished with the first page and flipping over onto the back. Twelve questions on balancing molecular and empirical formulas, Astrid smiles to herself happy she decided to memorize the periodic table. Another 3 minutes and she'd ready to turn the page again, but a hand stops her. Aurore's index finger points at the numbers as her eyes travel along the line of calculations Astrid made. She is taken aback, the woman was completely silent in her approach even her leather shoes made no noise. Astrid glances up at the woman whose face is entranced in mental calculations. She can't be more than 26 or 27. Astrid has to admit she has some respect for the woman for accomplishing graduating college and becoming a female chemist while mute no less.

Aurore shakes her head and points to a subscript 2 and then to its charge. Astrid draws up a blank. Aurore leans over and begins erasing her work on the problem. The large precious stone she wore on a sliver chain resting on the desk. Her eyes travel over her warped image reflecting in it. _You have forgotten to double the answer to compensate for the atom's charge. The ion no longer being negatively charged after it bonded with the other elements in the equation. _Astrid furrows her brow at the mistake. _Do it again._ Dr. Aurore hands her back the pencil. She clasps her hands behind her back as she watches Astrid recalculate. Aurore glimpses the girl's imperfect reflection in the orb.

Astrid catches the woman's eyes quickly darting back and forth between her and the stone. A perplexed look on the woman's face. Astrid spine prickles for moment until she remembers that the woman cannot possibly know about the little of insanity hanging around her neck. _That's correct_, she writes as soon as the girl finishes. She straightens and walks to the door motioning for the professor to follow her. This action re-tugs at Astrid's nerves.

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"What is it Aurore," Gobber asks closing the door behind him. Aurore paces down the hallway rubbing her forehead. _That girl has the first piece_ she signs frantically. "Slow down, I'm terrible at sign language."

His daughter-in-law rolls her eyes, o_nly because you're too much of a dumbass to learn it._ She repeats herself slower this time, _that blonde girl in the third row had the first of the Caprims __Tupsimati__, around her neck. _

"Didn't Val have that amulet and then wasn't it then buried with her," Ernest replies confused.

_Technically yes, but since the amulet is attached to the soul it would have transcended into the afterlife with her._

"You have to be mistaken, how the hell did she get it then."

_I have no idea. I personally thought it was lost forever. It isn't possible to pass on ownership from the afterlife because it has to happen directly person to person. That would require one of them traveling back and forth. Unless she did it before she died, but the girl wasn't even conceived yet, so she couldn't have done that. _

"Are you sure it's the Caprims Tupsimati and not some other amulet."

"Is something wrong," Mrs. Steffensen inquires inturrupting poking her head out the door. "Some of the students are starting to finish."

"Nothing at all Mrs. Steffensen," the professor says cheerily, "Aurore is going to be heading out know she has some other work to finish up." He turns to return to the classroom tossing her the keys, "Send a car back around at the end of day."

_Wait_ Aurore signs quickly. _Give her the internship. I don't care what the scores say , I am not mistaken about the amulet, I have no idea how she managed it but Val has chosen her for whatever is to come. A sleeping dragon curled around gemstones is the ultimate sign of protection._

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**:0 I updated.**

**Just so you know until school gets out again you can sadly expect more updates like this.**

**Please review :D**

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	11. Chapter 11

**The famous French scientist Marie Curie who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in 1911 had 2 daughters Irene and Eve. Irene went on work alongside her mother and eventually won a Nobel Prize herself in 1935 for Chemistry. I VERY loosely base Aurore after this Irene, once again VERY loosely base. **

**Happy reading and I own nothing. **

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_But you can sky rocket away from me,_

_and never come back,_

_if you find another galaxy,_

_with more room to fly,_

_just leave me your stardust,_

_to remember you by_

_~Birds and Boats by Gregory and the Hawk_

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Ernest "Gobber" Drake glances up from the paper on his deck to watch a bird crash into the window. He grumbles something as he turns back to the packet in his hands he was in the middle of grading. Astrid Hofferson was drawn across the top in neat cursive. The application process was technically rigged now since Aurore's discovery Astrid was getting the internship no matter the outcome of the scores, but somehow actually taking the time out of his busy day to tediously grade all twenty packets made it all seem more legitimate. He rolls his eyes as the bird crashes into the window again.

He sets down the final packet on top of the pile and begins to write the congratulatory letter to Astrid and her family. Gobber grimaces slightly as the bird crashes a third time. Followed by the sound of the window opening. Ernest looks up to see a dove hopping onto Aurore's arm, her glaring at him profusely. _Would it kill you to let him in_?

Gobber stares blankly as the dove transforms into a lion, grips the edge of the desk with its front paws and roars in his face. "Yes."

Aurore rolls her eyes staring at up the ceiling shaking her head. She then stares in anger at her pet. The massive lion whimpers pricking its large claws from the wood. It turns into a puppy and rubs up against her ankles hoping for sympathy. She merely continues to glare at it as she picks him up, frowning at its attempt to lick her face. Gobber grins a little, signing his signature at the bottom of the piece of paper.

_All finished?_ Aurore pens on her chalkboard _I'll take that into town if you'd like I have some errands to run as well this afternoon._ Ernest eyes her innocent smile wearily. "All right mother spider," he says handing her the parchment. He had other grading, the spring term papers for his international students had all arrived and he was severely behind on them. She rolls eye eyes again as she exits the room, a badger following after.

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Aurore wore her hair pinned up in a bun with stunted ringlets falling out the back, paired with plainer clothing. Her hopes not to frighten off Astrid's mother, who from eavesdropping in town she'd learned was quite a hot head, into thinking that she was a snobbish aristocrat who expected her to bow down before her because of her bloodline, hair neat to hopefully invoke a sense of seriousness. Yes, it would have been dare to be said simpler to leave the letter in the mail box and hope for the best, but that was leaving things far too much to chance for Aurore's taste.

She knocks on the door and takes a step back from the stoop onto the stony walk way. She holds up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. A tall middle aged woman opens the front door, her silvery blonde hair tied in a neat braid draped over her shoulder. The sun is swallowed in her irises and her mouth is pulled into a tight frown. "Hello, how my I help you?" She says whipping off her hands on the edge of her apron. Aurore holds up her chalkboard smiling. _I have a letter for Astrid from Professor Drake._

The woman eyes her wearily. "Well then, why don't you come in while I go fetch her," she replies stepping out of the way of the door frame.

Astrid's mother shadow appears over her where she'd been picking tomatoes in the garden; the older woman looked exhausted. "A woman from Professor Drake is here to see you," she tells her. Astrid wipes her hands on her apron and picks up the basket holding the tomatoes. Astrid stands to meet her mother's gaze. "Oh God, you're filthy you'll have to have you wash up in the kitchen before you meet her in the parlor." Astrid merely glares, roughly handing her mother the basket as she trudges out of the garden.

When Astrid enters the parlor the woman is standing in front of the small front window, the light pours over her as she smiles warmly. She gestures to the flowers in the vase. "American flowers, hydrangeas, they're from my mother's bush on the side of the house. The woman nods and hands her the letter. She carefully breaks the seal, her damp skin sticking slightly to the paper. She smiles modestly, unfolding it.

Dear Astrid Hofferson:

Based on your exemplary scores on your examination and Mrs. Steffensen's recommendation I would like to offer you a summer internship working under Aurore. She will teach you skills needed to firmly study any of the sciences at university.

Sincerely,

Dr. Drake

Only as Astrid's eyes drifted over the signature did she notice her mother's shadow looming over her again.

"Who is Aurore?" Her mother asks.

_That would be me._

"So that's eh? My daughter out does everyone immensely so you people have to give it to her, but because she's a girl he won't teach her himself," Her mother huffs. "Damn Bastards," she says marching back into the kitchen, "sending a half rate dumb mute in here to push my daughter off on. My daughter is as good as any of those boys in that fucking school."

Astrid face palms. "MOTHER," She says her voice rising, "I'm almost positive it's not like that." She glances over at Aurore, her lips pursed, eyes calm but rage shimmers in them like water in a pot. "Give me a second to deal with her." The woman shakes her head, walking forward to approach the beast in its den. A surprised Astrid follows close behind. Her mother opens a set of cupboards doors while yelling incoherent curses. She slams them shut and moves onto a drawers as though looking for something. Astrid furrows her brow. "Mother, stop it." Astrid shouts. Her mother's overpowering form shoves a finger in her daughter's face, the other hand grabbing her collar. "Don't you dare back talk to me I am your mother." Her eyes are like water droplets thrown into a skillet. But before Astrid can say anything, Aurore using her chalkboard wedges her way between Astrid and her mother. The water in the pot has come to a full boil. She holds the black surface firmly within inches of the towering woman's face.

_What makes you think I am unqualified to teach your offspring?_ Aurore does not give her time to answer writing quickly. _My mother is currently the only woman to be an owner of a Nobel Prize and I have been privately tutored in science and mathematics since I was a child and have managed to graduate college with a degree in chemistry and philology, despite being female and unable to speak._

As Mrs. Hofferson reads the words her mouth draws into a thin line and she moves to stand in front of the much smaller woman.

_So possibly just possibly Professor Drake might have considered it beneficial for Astrid to work alongside someone who had managed to conquer the same hurdles as she will. _

Mrs. Hofferson nostrils flare. Despite her mother being nearly a foot taller than her Aurore doesn't budge. Her mother glances up at Astrid, who merely returns her glare with matched intensity. Her mother knows she is out argued; all that is left to do now is waiting for her to stand down.

"Fine," Mrs. Hofferson says through gritted teeth directly into the smaller woman's face. The widowed Hofferson throws up her hands and turns toward the sink. "I was only looking out for you."

Aurore smiles slyly.

She has stood up against the dragon and won. Astrid crosses her arms firmly impressed; she peers on with respect as Aurore turns to leave. _See you the day after school lets out at 9 o'clock sharp. _With that the warm sly smiling woman waves goodbye. Astrid waves in return, smiling as well. Apparently even dragons are afraid of spiders.

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Stoick sat down at the kitchen table. He leans his elbows on the blue checkered board pattern. He squints unhappily at the flowers in the vase. The petals a very particular deep shade of blue that formed in a star formation. They'd been mocking him for the past 2 days. That and the twinkling doll-like eyes of the pregnant woman.

Still couldn't put his finger on where he remembered her from. He sighs, standing up, he needed a drink. He'd go into town for a bottle of wine, and probably some ice-cream or something for Hiccup. The maid already had dinner cooking in the oven.

He pauses on the way to the door to yell up notice to Hiccup in his room; he hears a vague murmur of reply. The man lumbers the rest of the way to the front door, his conscious eclipsed in thought. His hand swiftly yanks open the door. Aurore stands on the stoop hand raised ready to knock. Startled, she steps back. She reaches into the wicker basket and holds up a muffin to him. Lemon blue berry muffins, a basket of lemon blue berry muffins. As mayor he was used to the town ladies bringing him baking to hope and win his favor.

But these in particular were the same kind his mother had had him run over to the Drake castle along with the stack of papers his father, the current mayor, needed taken over to the Drake estate. They were a gift for the repellent the late Mrs. Drake who'd shown her the trick for keeping rabbits out of the rosebushes.

The kind of muffin a little girl with braids in her hair begged for before running back to hide behind her mother skirts. Who was the brunette woman from France, who hated lemon, and gave her muffin to a large dog, which happily gobbled it up making the girl with the braids giggle, crumbs falling in her lap, a dog that was curled up at the feet of the new chemist, a young woman with fiery red hair, who rolled her stunning green eyes at the dog and then smiled at him. She politely asked for a muffin in thick London accent and then slightly dumbfounded he handed her one. Then the late Mrs. Drake came into the room, who was overjoyed at the sight of him and the basket, who took it from him and whisked him away to the professor's office asking him questions about how his mother was. In a single glance back he sees the young woman pouring the contents of one test tube into another and of the little girl, who was the daughter of the French woman, peering over the counter, nibbling on a muffin. The little girl who would have known how much she loved the star shaped petals of those flowers. And how after a trip to America, she gave bulbs to all the people she loved.

Stoick blinks slightly embarrassed knowing his thoughts drifted off for a second there. Aurore only reaction is a toothy grin. She hands him the basket with a tiny note.

~_A gift celebrating Hiccup's apprentice's ship with the Professor. _

"Ah how fitting, why thank you these look delicious?"

Aurore nods. _Will we be seeing Hiccup Monday morning then?_ She jots on a notepad.

Stoick looks at contents in his hands for a moment, "If I can manage to pry him out of bed." With that she smiles even wider. This makes her resemble her child self even more. She turns and waves as she walks down the narrow path to the street where her automobile is waiting. Stoick waves back warmly as he closes the door.

Aurore had been there at the beginning when it had all went to hell. _He will be in good enough hands if he goes then. _Stoick thinks to himself as he turns from the door. _And he does have to grow up sometime._

"Who was that," Hiccup asks from the stairs.

"Aurore, she brought by some muffins." He tosses him one, "You start Monday morning."

"Does that mean yes, then." Hiccup asks curiously.

"As long as you promise not to set anything on fire or get yourself killed, boy."

Little did Stoick know that was going to be a lot more difficult than he thought.

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**Please review I love you all. Critiques are also welcomed. Next we see the pupils begin training. **

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	12. Chapter 12

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**:DD I discovered today that my little sister is going to be Astrid for Halloween. Don't you just love knowing you pass on your obsessions to your younger siblings. **

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_We sleep with the dragons,_  
_in the hidden lair._  
_We sing their call,_  
_in our every prayer._  
_Through our eyes,_  
_their world is clear._  
_Their forgotten song,_  
_our heart can hear._  
_They guide our way,_  
_through the darkest night._  
_We use their wisdom,_  
_to give us sight._  
_Through our voice,_  
_you hear their cries._  
_Their fire can be seen,_  
_deep in our eyes._  
_They are alive,_  
_deep in our minds._  
_In us the dragon,_  
_you can find._

_~ © Heather O'Connell_

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His lab was most likely in a permanent state of dishevelment Hiccup concluded since it had not changed in terms of neatness since his last visit. The bare light bulbs showing off all the dust that collected on the shelves. "I'm more of a learn-on-the-job kind of professor but accreditation board insists upon using at least these books," Gobber states pulling three books off a shelf. The largest is deep red and leather bound. Hiccup runs his hands over the textured surface and the circular seal. The seal is parted into two circles one within the other, the outer contains three precious stones that change color with the light, the bottom section reading The Complete Book of Dragons, the top inscription was Nordic Runes that Hiccup assumes was of the same meaning. The smaller is faded blue canvas with an expertly drawn dragon in the center of the seal. Its title reads the Dragonology handbook and it is much smaller in size than the other. The third is a simple brown reading How to Read Ancient Runes.

"Know those well they'll be the basics for everything you'll learn. You'll get more when you graduate and enter college." Hiccup flips through the parchment pages. Drawings of creatures he's never fathomed pop out from the pages.

"Take you won't let the Mayor accidentally stumble upon those."

"Nah he'd just figure they were a joke. Most people don't exactly believe in dragons. " Hiccup pears more closely at the book, things like careful instructions on how to tell the difference between European and Frost's foot prints and chemical formula's for knucker venom fill the pages. "Hey if this is a legitimate science then why is it kept a secret?"

"Because a dead dragon is worth far more than a live one,"Dr. Drake replies grimly. "The uses for the scales alone are enormous. Conservation, keeps them alive if most folks think they're nothing more than hogwash fairy tales and glitterin' legends. They were once almost hunted to extinction you know. They say there's a dragon in Scandinavia that evolved the ability to make itself a suit of armor of sorts out of the bones of dead dragons because of the all the bones lying about."

"Massive dragons flying around doesn't exactly sound like an easy secret to keep." Hiccups says wryly.

"Well we have certain _loopholes_to help deal with that." Gobber winks as he says it. "We'll get to that later, first comes first, you'll need your own stash of field supplies." The doctor starts rummaging through drawers handing Hiccup random objects; journals with fire proof cover, heat resistant pencil and ink, magnifying glass, relief maps, twine and a pair of thick leather gloves. "That should do it for now." Ernest stands back and looks at the small pile of stuff Hiccup is holding. "You'll acquire more stuff as you go along anyways," Ernest says.

"No on to more serious matters." Dr. Drake spreads out a piece of parchment on an empty section of lab table. "The student of Dragonology oath," the man says somberly handing Hiccup a pen. "You have to sign it before I can begin to teach you anything."

Hiccup sets his stuff down, "Oath," he asks inquisitively.

"Dragons have suffered a lot over the millennia at the hand of man; this one was my protocol as a member of the board of the S.A.S.D." Hiccup takes the pen in hand and turns to look at the parchment. A seal of The Secret and Ancient Society of Dragonologist on a banner surrounding dragon encasing a book is stamped on the top in black ink.

_I_ swear as a student of Dragonology solemnly swear to learn much, see much, and know much, but to disturb little in the ways of the dragon. I swear to protect these magnificent creatures at great viable cost. I give oath to use the knowledge I gain for good not ill and keep all most ancient secrets of the dragons only to those who can be trusted to protect them. I swear this on that of which will become my life's work, both in the name of science and the higher power._

There was an x next to a dotted line along the bottom. Hiccup holds the quill over the paper for a second. His eyes trace over the line "on that of which will become my life's work." He considered the odds of getting himself killed if in the end he decided to stay with this profession. He already had had two live and death encounters with the beasts and now he was considering studying them. Part of his mind tells him he's crazy for even considering this, the other; travels back to the day in the woods and the long ago afternoon in his kitchen. That dragon had had the decency not to kill him and Professor Drake had managed to keep all but three fingers. Then Hiccup realizes something, this is the closest thing to a future that didn't involve an insane asylum he'd had in awhile. And in less than a week he'd learned more about his past than he had in the past decade.

Hiccup breathes out as he signs the page; he was crazy. Gobber pats him on the back, "Good choice my boy." Hiccup feels himself smiling a bit as he looks down at the fresh ink.

The professor walks over to the door to the dungeons and grabs a rather large pail sitting beside it. He beams deviously, "Feeding time." Hiccup feels the blood drain from his face.

"Say hello to the dragons," Gobber announces smugly as he travels on ahead of Hiccup. Hiccup hastily pulls on the fire proof cloak and dawns the gloves. "Lesson number one, never stick your fingers in the bars while feeding them. They're liable to bite them off. Lesson number two as far as diet goes dragons all have their particular favored foods. Each dragon eats a different amount depending on species, age, health, excreta. A good rule of thumb is a fifth of their body weight every two days or so, in here anyways, they'll eat more when in the wild. "

Hiccup steps into the cavern of the dungeon. It creaks with the muffled sounds of dragons rousing themselves from sleep and dripping water. "We'll start with the Western species since you'll deal with those most often." Ernest instructs approaching the first cage. "This is little Aeryn. The dragon of stunning shining gold eyelid's slowly fluttered open. She's about the size of a miniature horse.

"European dragons like to eat cattle, sheep, deer, and pretty much any other wild game they can get their hands on, mainly wild hen for the little one for now since she is still a baby." Hiccup watches as the little dragon prances over in ballerina like steps. Hiccup is half paying attention as Gobber yammers on, "Frost are migratory, they like the more polar type foods, giant squid, polar bear, whale, and seal. Knuckers, like rabbit especially, deer, farm animals, and stray children."

The tiny dragon grips the metal bars with her front paws and ogles at them with shining black eyes waiting for her breakfast. Then she yawns like a kitten. A bit of Hiccup's heart softens to the creatures at the sight of her. "Here why don't you feed her," Ernest says handing Hiccup a dead bird.

Hiccup tosses the hen nimbly throw the bars. Aeryn leaps and catches it midair in her mouth. She fails the landing and tumbles to the ground like a circus performer. She stands up and shakes herself out making a sound like a small bell. Something Hiccup can only guess is laughter. The baby smiles over for a moment at them before ripping into the carcass splattering blood, innards, and feathers everywhere. She shows no mercy as she shakes it back and forth.

"Okay that's disgusting," Hiccup drones.

"Well what do you expect from the daughter of Mrs. Norris?" Gobber says continuing on to the next cage.

"That's funny she didn't seem so engulfed in rage," Hiccups says gesturing to the chick.

"Well Mrs. Norris has been unusually bitchy since we had to separate her from her offspring in order to get her wing patched up. Dragon's care for their young you know."

"Really," Hiccup answers glancing back at Aeryn whose blowing a feather just above her nose. Her pretty gold scales are covered in bloody goopy feathers. Part of Hiccup finds the scene horrific until he realizes it's not all that different than a baby who's made a mess of their oatmeal.

* * *

Nerthus breathes in deeply of the smoke immersing the room. The fireplace is burning great amounts of incense smelling of thyme and lavender. Despite the fire she was still chilled under her robes and cloak. She taps her fingers on the round hickory table. She had tried thrice to read the bones but to no avail. All that could be emerged from the pieces of ancient skeletons was; follow the paths of the people with small feet they shall lead you to the dwelling of the man who hid his secrets in the pits of hell. Nerthus slams her fist violently on the table. _Pe__ople with small feet ha! _How in the name of magic was that supposed to be helpful. That could be anything from the elves of Norway to the Hobbits of Indonesia. At least the part about the man hiding his secrets was a sign they were headed in the right direction. But to veil something under the fires of the afterlife required very powerful magic. Removing the talisman from its hiding place would be more difficult than she thought and certainly more messy. Nerthus would have to leave that detail out when the men from the government came. She sighs rubbing her forehead.

Then the door of the covenant's house bursts open cold and wind pouring along with her niece Eseld. "What?" she demands through gritted teeth as she turns to look at her niece? The younger woman only blinks bored at her powerful aunt's outburst from under cloak. "The men from the south are here." At this Nerthus immediately regains her composure.

A small band of disgruntled looking men enter her parlor. Their hair is mused from the wind from under woolen hats, and their hands are tucked deep in their peat coat pockets. The newer members glance around the tent anxiously. The thick purple canvas lets in no light once the door flap is shut. The ingredients of many of her potions are in abundant jars throughout the room obviously setting them on edge. The leader, a man with black hair that almost fell into his eyes, sits down across from her at the table. He had been sent on diplomatic tasks to see her many times over the years and was no longer affected by the instruments she used to practice her particular form of craft. Not that he was the kind of man who had been profoundly affected in the first place. "Well Nerthus, the Great Enchantress, what do have for us," he says bitterly. Nerthus smiles coldly leaning her cheek on her palm in a gesture of boredom, "We know that the last sighting of the dragon was in Wales in the country of England. The descendant of the Red Dragon, the Green death now lies asleep under a mountain. So we can assume the monster is within the realms of Dinas Emrys. It's somewhere in Scotland, the northern part of the country."

"England, eh," he contemplates rubbing his chin. "That would be a perfect place to attack on London, since England will surely join the conflict. That would lead to a perfect place to attack from the west as well."

"Precisely," Nerthus adds icily.

"I assume you know how to find to get it out from under the mountain and how exactly to control the monster as well," A subordinate, a young blonde man, who Nerthus has not seen the likes of before, questions. Nerthus sits up straighter, "That, men, is where the problem lies; the Green Death can be controlled by a talisman. Unfortunately it belonged to the famous Master Merlin, whom he passed onto to his descendants, and it has since disappeared. The only clue we have in retrieving it," she tells pointing to the bones strewn across the table, "is that it can be found in by following the paths of the people with small feet."

"Paths of the people with small feet," the superior blurts looking at her as though she has completely lost her marbles.

"As you can see our confusion," Nerthus says flatly.

"Furthermore," the subordinate pipes up again, "Merlin was a very powerful wizard, once you find the place where the tablet is hidden are you even sure you will be able to release it from the confines of his magic." He looks on to the superior who in turn eyes her with a slight amount of rage. The interfering of an underling causes her nostrils to flair. The very concept that he addresses her directly causes her annoyance. On a normal day she'd broil him.

"If it was Merlin's magic than no, my fellows and I would never be able to free it, but lucky for us it was not placed in its eternal hiding place by Merlin, but one of his descendants. The powers of this man will prove a good force field, for he was a decent magician, but nothing we cannot handle."

"So you're sure you'll be able to free it," The superior asks sternly.

Nerthus grins a warm horrible smile, "Positive."

The diplomat stands up readjusting his hat. "Find it then," he places a small bag of coins of the table, "We will return with the rest of what is owed to you and your people once you figure out the rest." Nerthus stares at the diminutive silk bag in disgust. "Oh Eseld," she calls saccharinely. "Why don't you show them out?" She flashes her niece a toothy grin. The younger woman, in a rare show of emotion smirks demonically. Eseld had always been superb at curses. And like a gust of wind Eseld disappears out the front along with men. Nerthus the hurls the bag into the fire as soon as the door closes on the threshold. She would rather be drawn and quartered than take money that demeaned her. She was not a slave or a servant; nor were her people. She and her small band of followers who were all guided by the same acquaitence with darkness, had been thrown out of Scotland many decades before. This was their revenge, not their errand for a powerful country and its friends. She looms over her fire pit and watches the deep blue and violet flames spark.

She folds her arms as she watches them intensely, unfortunatly, they reveal nothing she has not already seen. The secrets of time in their rawest form still eluded her. Finding Master Merlin's talisman would take more powerful magic than just bone reading. She was looking for something hidden the pits of hell after all. She reaches into the small pot settled in the soot next to the pit holding a smoky black powder. She draws a spiraled circle around herself from her waist up. She moves her hand from above her head and tosses the remaining powder into the fire. A dwarf explosion occurs.

The smoke trickles out like vines wrapping around her. It would take more than the bones of the dead to accomplish this; it would take very old magic indeed, and some very ancient spirits. They would be very happy to see her though; her grandmother was Morgan le Fay after all. Nerthus smiles wickedly as goose bumps form on her pale skin and the snake like smoke travels through her fair hair. "Ishveld," she calls to her servant who had been dosing in a corner. "Gather them up and tell them that we will be returning to the land where our blood once ran thick." The boy in tattered rags jolts up at Nerthus' command and stumbles still half asleep out of the tent. She stares into the pit of ashes as she waits for her band to assemble as the sun begins to set over peak Sokolov Kamen and the rest of the Balkan Mountains.

* * *

**please review and thanks for reading. **

**~Opaul**


	13. Chapter 13

**Definition of European dragon from Dragonology books: European known to most people through their ability to breathe fire and love of a treasure, this species is not confined to a few remote areas Effective at using language, the shed their skins triennially. Lair or nest: Mountain or see cave; preferably in remote locations. Dimensions: At full grown about 45 feet long by 13 to 17 feet tall when standing on back legs. Scale Pigments: red, black, green, and rarely gold. Attack: Flame, tail, claws and horns.** **Food: Wild game, deer, cattle, sheep, human (not preferred do to bitter flavor)**

**Also so as not to offend anyone out there, Nerthus and her band are witches, but think death-eater not Wiccans.**

* * *

_When gravity  
Finally splits and crumbles  
And the earth  
Falls back into the stars,  
When all our desperate dreams  
Have sunk back down  
Into the muck,  
And our laughter and pain  
Fossilized  
In ice cold rock,  
The moment will come  
Deep within  
The unimagined twists and whirls  
Of space and time  
When we recrystalize,  
Unfettered by  
The crawling speed of light.  
_

* * *

Hiccup is sitting on a stool, flipping through the pages of the Complete Book of Dragons on the lab table. Gobber stands a few feet away, clad in a set of boisterous set of thick lens goggles and protective gloves. He's mixing chemicals to find out the age of a knucker recently found to be living in a pond nearby. Hiccup rubs his thumb over the little casing of white Frost scales on the page.

"This is the third new one this month. Knuckers don't reproduce this fast. I have an inklin' that they're migrating to this area."

"Is that a good thing," Hiccup asks casually.

"Well good for us, bad for the locals. We're more likely to have run-ins, which mean we'll have to stock up on some forget-o-serum." Dr. Ernest says watching the vial in his hands change from black to dull brownish green.

"Forget-o-what," Hiccup says looking up.

"It's a memory erasing elixir we buy off the wizards"

Hiccup sits up, "Wizards?" he asks inquisitively.

Professor Drake raises and eyebrow. "Lots of dragonologist come from, how do they put it− magical families. They're a secretive bunch though who tend to keep to themselves. They don't think to highly of us plain folk; they hike up the prices for everything. Of course we get it cheap because Aurore's sister married one," Gobber says that last part with a wink.

"Aurore has a sister?"

"Yep, name's Ava, lives over in America, your mum spent time over there studying North American dragons."

"What was my mother like?"

Ernest shrugs. "She was smart, quiet, polite, vastly independent."

"Do do you know why she went crazy?"Hiccup asks. Gobber stares at the boy, slightly taken aback by the question. The man shakes head, "I'm not really the one to ask on that subject," he says quietly, "she worked mostly with Camille, Aurore's mother, she was interested more in the veterinary aspects of Dragonology. Conservation and zoology are more of my specialties. After I taught her the basics we were never very close. "

"So you don't really know?"

"I know it had something to do with your brother's death and the grief from that. I'm sorry to say that I mostly just watched her go insane. You might try talking to someone who knew her better. Have you tried talking to Stoick about this?" Hiccup stares at him blankly. "Dumb question sorry. Well Camille went back to France after Valerie's death, but Aurore might know something, but I doubt it she was only a child at the time. " Professor Drake sighs adding some powdery yellow substance to a beaker then pouring the contents of the beaker into it in silence.

Gobber observes Hiccup our of the corner of his eye_,_ absently turning pages a sorrow on his face. "Quick, what colors does the European come in?"

"Green, black and gold," Hiccup answers.

"You forgot red," the professor states sternly. "And where do they like to live."

"Caves."

"Alright, caves located where? You need be more specific, you have to know the basics Hiccup. Vague answers will not help you any in the field."

"I know," Hiccup drones turning the page.

The professor chuckles lightly to himself. "The answer was mountain and sea caves by the way. I was thinking this afternoon we could take a dingy out to one of the sea caves and go visit Devona, as your first field study."

Hiccup feels the color slowly drain from his face. He could barely handle them in cages. "You sure about that, I've only been at this Dragonology thing for three weeks. I'm not exactly all that prepared."

"I'll be dead if we wait for that."

"Besides Devona is almost harmless, we've been in contact with her since my grandfather's time, friend of the family really," he says fondly scratching his chin ignoring the combusting chemicals in his other hand, "I mean the worst she's ever done is biting Cousin Drew's hand off for throwing a pineapple at her."

"Well I kind of like my appendages as is, thanks."

"Then get to work." Gobber says pointing a sausage like finger at him.

Hiccup sighs internally as he skips ahead to the chapter on finding and tracking dragons. They're were detailed illustrations of dragon footprints, a list of signs indicating a dragon nearby, step by step instructions on how to make a correct journal log, a list of necessary supplies, and a warning not to take anything from the dragon at the risk of being roasted to char. And strangely enough steps to get rid of dragon hypnosis.

* * *

Hiccup uneasily steps from the dingy and onto the slippery edge of the cave. The air is thick with salt and the sound of waves crashing accompanies the calls of sea birds. Hiccup turns from the dark opening of the cave to face the ocean; the sun is high in the sky, marking the afternoon, casting beautiful rays and the gray-green blue water. Hiccup pauses for a second to watch a flock of birds fly in and out of a cloud, disappearing into the shadow of the sun.

Gobber grunts dragging the boat of white chipping paint up on the out cropping. He dusts his hands off and stands proudly, "Ready."

"No."

"Too bad," he answers dryly.

Gobber pulls a lantern out of the boat and walks into the shadow mouth of the moves quickly close behind. "Devona, oh Devona, we brought you some beef jerky." the professor calls.

The lantern illuminates about fifteen feet in front of them. The gray walls drip with condensation. "Devona, Devona," Gobber calls loudly. "Always announce yourself, a surprised dragon is not a happy dragon," he asides.

Suddenly a flash of blue and green scales appear on the edge of the light. Followed by the aged eyes of an agile dragon, the scales around them are wrinkled with age. "Hello Devona how have you been," Gobber says tossing her a piece of jerky; she catches it gracefully in her mouth. She breathes out heavily through her nostrils in content. With the tip of her tail she taps Hiccup in the center of the chest.

"This is Hiccup," Professor Drake says patting him on the head, "he's my new apprentice." The dragon nods knowingly, smilingly slightly. She turns around and thuds off into the darkness.

"She's going to show you her lair." With that Gobber gives him a shove off in the direction the dragon disappeared. "And then give you a gift, like she does all my apprentices, something she deems useful to you in the future. Other than that don't touch anything."

Hiccup gulps. "Alone and in the dark," he shouts fearful and angry at the darkness. It's too dim to see the nose in front of his face. "Hey," the Professor booms, "Devona is granting a huge leap of faith allowing you to see her lair, she expects you return the favor. No weapons, no lights. You have to get them to trust you, Hiccup."

"This is nuts."Hiccup drones. His instructor chuckles, "Welcome to Dragonology." Hiccup hears his teacher shuffle and sits down on a rock. "Just walk in a straight line and you won't run into anything, then follow along the wall. I'll be right here in case something goes wrong. Just remember, bow first before and don't touch anything unless she gives it to you." Hiccup nodes, takes a deep breath and sticks both arms out in front of him. "This is ridiculous," he grumbles. He clamps his eyes shut and begins to shuffle slowly forward. The darkness envelops him like the giant crest of a wave crashing into a beach. He opens his eyes to discover he cannot even see the nose on his face in the complete darkness. The smooth surface glides under his boots as he walks. All seems to run smoothly until he knocks hard into a wall of rock. Causing him to stumble backward, almost tripping over his own feet. He clutches his throbbing head with one hand. "So much for not crashing into anything," he mumbles.

Hiccup runs his other hand along the stony wall. The tunnel has come to an end at a wall of molten rock; a very different texture than the damp smooth walls of the rest of the cave. Hiccup runs both hands along the rough grainy surface trying to find the side of the cavern. This must have been what Professor Drake was referring to. After a few feet the wall begins to curve deeply; he hears the distant mocking snort of a dragon. Hiccup's blood runs cold for a moment. He takes a deep breath, attempting to calm himself as he continues on. He presses harder to the wall and bits of chalky earth come off in his hands.

After another twenty minutes or so of walking the cold air begins to warm. Slowly the pitch blackness begins to recede and Hiccup's eyes can make out faint shapes and spaces in the darkness. The passage way is narrow but tall; extending up into the dense shadows farther than the eyes could possibly see, up into the rocky underbelly of Berk. Hiccup must be in the bowls of the ancient island by now. Suddenly a small far off flickering light appears from behind the turn of the curving rock.

A large jagged hole, large enough for a dragon to fit through streams light out into the hallway; the gentle flickering light from within emitting low red and yellow rays on the dusty black rock. Hiccup hears the placid shuffle of movement and the sound of scales rubbing against the stone floor.

"Devona," Hiccup urges carefully. "Devona," he says a bit louder taking a single step into her lair. The same golden scarlet light glowing on piles of gleaming treasure, very little of it was gold, Hiccup notices, most of it being uncut precious stones, along with other odds and ends such as antique furniture, glassware, and tapestries. The room glows from a single fire in the center of the room. "Devona," Hiccup calls again.

A shimmering sea green dragon head pops out from behind a pile of treasure near the back of the cave. The dragon smiles and makes gentle cooing noise. Hiccup relaxes slightly at her noble disposition. He bows until she waves her tail motioning for him to enter.

Hiccup moves around the large piles to stand next to the fire. Numerous hefty spotted eggs are kept warm in the blaze, Hiccup notices. Devona scrutinizes the boy up and down from behind heavy lashed emerald eyes. The empress dragon stares on at him for several minutes. Hiccup feels a bit of cold sweat running down his temple despite the warmth of the room. She turns, and pulls something out a pile behind her, a fishing pole, and from one on her left in her jaws she takes an old tin plate. She returns and drops both items at Hiccup's feet. The plate has tarnished greatly with age. Hiccup brushes off bits of dust from the inscription. Dragons he had noticed had a thing for cryptic messages.

_"I find no comfort in the shade  
Under the branch of the Great Ash.  
I remember the mist  
of our ancient past.  
As I speak to you in the present,  
My ancient eyes  
see the terrible future._

_"Do you not see what I see?  
Do you not hear  
death approaching?_

_"The mournful cry of Giallr-horn  
shall shatter the peace  
And shake the foundation of heaven._

_"Raise up your banner  
And gather your noble company  
from your great hall,  
Father of the Slains.  
For you shall go to your destiny._

_"No knowledge can save you,  
And no magic will save you.  
For you will end up in Fenrir's belly,  
While heaven and earth will burn  
in Surt's unholy fire."_

Hiccup picks up the fishing pole in his other hand. He glances between the two objects in befuddlement. "You want me to go fishing?" Devona nods her head. "And a prophecy?" He says pointing to the surface of the plate. The dragon nods. He reads it over again. "I don't get it." She snorts shortly in reply then looks out over toward the entrance. Hiccup takes this as a sign to leave. He bows his head and makes to go, both of the objects under his arms. Devona flutters her wings in a kind of stretching motion and curls up around the fire pit, encircling her eggs, breathing fire on them to keep them safe and warm and alive.

Gobber rises as his apprentice emerges from the darkness like a manta ray with a fishing pole and an old tin plate. His smile widens at the sight of the boy, "Ha-ha, well seeing how you're still in one piece I say things went well."

* * *

Nerthus refrains from shivering against the brutal cold. Back home in Scotland it would be warm with summer's heat, she thinks irritably. The mountains, although good for reputations, had weather that was far from pleasant. Nerthus eyes travel among the members of the cult all aligned in a ten pointed start, standing in the snow around a primordial tree stump. The followers were mainly middle aged men and women who had been cast out of Scotland alongside her in their youth. Time made them bitter.

To find the portal into hell she was looking for, and further more to open it, Nerthus would need help, a very particular kind of help.

Centuries before a powerful sorceress had been hung on this very tree for selling the souls of a village, that had once occupied this spot, to demonic forces. To contact her, one would need blood, lots of it. Nerthus looks on as the unconscious prisoners captured from a yonder village are carried in. Alastair, her second in command, comes to stand beside her. He's a tall burly man with golden curls that fall in his face from under the hood of his cloak made from the pelt of a bear turned inside out. He has a large scar over his right eye. The somber man huffs. "This better be worth it, those villagers will be noticed to be gone before long."

"Don't worry; we have the government of this hell forsaken nation on our side, the villagers can do little more than protest on deaf ears," Nerthus assures him. Alastair merely huffs again. He is as big as an ox and worries like a mother hen.

The hostages are pulled from the wagon by lesser members of the covenant and are laid on the stump in circle, heads touching, legs hanging of the sides. They are peasants to say the least, Nerthus notes, dressed in little more than rags that have been stitched together over and over again over spans of time, shoes with giant holes that let in winter snow. Twelve lives, three questions. It is steep price to pay for so little. But at the end of it all she would have the location.

Nerthus takes of her cloak and hands it to Alastair. Nerthus climbs up onto the ancient stump of the old ash tree. She nimbly steps over the heads and into the center of the circle. Eseld and her sister Alecto pull daggers made of cockatrice fangs out of sheaths hanging about their waists. Nerthus eyes the others standing in formation; they all stand ready, hands poised. She nods to Eseld and to the taller girl Alecto. They begin nimbly slitting the throat of all twelve sacrifices. Nerthus raises her arms to the sky; where the great limbs of the ash tree used to stand. She feels the warm blood pool about her feet, flowing over the edge of the base, onto the white of the snow below.

"Valhallarama, ancient and powerful sorceress to you do we send up this sacrament of blood in payment. We come to take what we have sowed." Then her followers raised up their hands, throwing black powder that erupts into a cloud of smoke. Each trail of smoke curls upward around her like a finger, slowly enclosing her. Nerthus' eyes remain locked on cold pale blue sky until the pair of hands blocks them out. Nerthus does not move she can feel the frigid air begin to warm around her. And just like that, in a rush of air she's tumbling down in a pit of black. Falling and falling into apparent forever, for the void around her appears to be end less. She turns on her back in free fall and sees the light of the hole from which she fell growing smaller and smaller and smaller, into near disappearance, the bits of blood following after.

She crash lands in a pile of ash and skulls. A desert of ash and bones spread out in all directions until they seem to tumble over the edge of this place. The air smells of singed hair and musky water. A false light, much like the sun, but casting shadows as well as rays of light hangs in a sky the color of wood smoke and dandelions. Nerthus slowly stands up, her middle aged bones aching from impact. A large black circle exists above her head; drops of blood fall from it, soaking the bone dry ash below. It is the hole from which she entered this world. Nerthus sticks out her palm and catches a drop in her hand. "I have brought payment, come out Valhallarama keeper of bones, and give us what we have bought," the enraged sorceress shouts to the empty air.

Like the death of an insect, a cloaked figure appears suddenly in front of her. The figure's face and body are completely hidden by the black billowing fabric surrounding it and its feet dangle aimlessly above the floor. "Hello Nerthus," the woman says slowly in a voice like breaking glass.

"I have brought my payment of blood," Nerthus says gesturing the falling droplets.

"I see," the woman says again. She draws her arm from beneath her cloak and lets the droplets fall onto her palm. They soak into her milky white skin. "This will suffice; you may ask your questions now."

"I need to know where the final resting place of Master Fionnghal and where he hid his four fatherMerlin's talisman, and how to retrieve it from its hiding place."

The cloaked figure nods. "The island of Berk off the coast Scotland is the land where Master Fionnghal took to his grave. He hid the talisman in the pits of hell beneath the seat of his greatest failure, follow the paths of those deemed too small to be human, they will lead you there, to the center. To perform the incantation necessary you will need to perform an equal trade of misery. Bones from a thousand mortal creatures, dirt from the grave of a man long dead buried alive, the blood of a virgin taken by force, a piece of the skies fury, the despair of a boy who once held the stars in his eyes and the blood of Fionnghal to break the seal. Place it your circle and you will be able to walk into hell."

Nerthus nods, charting permanently into memory as constellations in the sky, all she will require for her most supreme magical feat. She smiles deviously at the thought. Then living sorceress bows to the dead. "Thank you Valhallarama," she says before being sucked upward back to the surface world, the world of the fully living.

Her feet plop down back on the tree stump, as the smoke recedes. Sky and snow become visible. Her legs fumble from exhaustion on the sticky slipper surface. Alastair catches her as she tumbles down. "Get me my servant," she mumbles bitterly, barely awake, "I need to make a grocery list."

An evil smirk toys at the corner of her mouth as she drifts off into sleep.

* * *

**.**

**Well in case you couldn't tell *coughareblindcough* this is going to be a rather dark story. So head my warning, but don't worry I will be keeping it T. Confused about Val, aka. Hiccup's mother? Good you should be, and I hate to break it to you, you probably will be till, well, the end XD **

**the poem is called Odin's doom and is from old Norse mythology www timelessmyths com/heroes/poem4 php**

**:D Please review**

**~Opaul**

**.**

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	14. Chapter 14

**After doing some research I realized time period for this story is the Edwardian era not the Victorian era as has been mentioned in conversation between me and some people.**

* * *

_The future is an opaque mirror. Anyone who tries to look into it sees nothing but the dim outlines of an old and worried face._

_~Jim Bishop, New York Journal-American, March 14, 1959_

* * *

"Hey Aurore," Dr. Drake calls as he and Hiccup come through the doorway to the basement stairs. He closes and locks the large door behind them. "Come see what Devona gave Hiccup." Hiccup sees Aurore grin. She sets down the potted plant she's holding on the lab table in front of her. She dusts off her hands then picks up her chalkboard. _I was about to have lunch in the greenhouse, you two must be starving; I'll have the maids bring you something._

Aurore rustles Hiccup's hair as though he was still a very young child. Her bony fingers were cold. She takes hold of the fishing pole in Hiccup's hand raising an eyebrow. _Oh well we can discuss them after lunch._ She motions for the men to follow her.

The castle manor was humongous in size Hiccup knew that much. Even after several weeks spent in its confines he had only seen a small portion of it. Mainly the labs, the Professor's office, a few store rooms, one of the four libraries and of course the dungeons. He had yet to glimpse any of the upper floors or the east wing of the castle. Aurore already had turned twice down two enormous lengthy hallways. It was a maze.

The hallways were rather dim, lit by only natural light from windows at the ends of corridors. Hiccup glances at antique portraits of past inhabitants in battle armor and kilts. Bits of green and color against the bourbon style brown and dull red wallpaper. Men in robes and women holding staffs of gem and gold with pampered dogs on their laps; luckily none of the eyes seem to follow him. He stopped for a second to examine a very old portrait that stood out among the rest. Striking because it seemed to predate the other works, it was of a man wearing a simple circular gold crown that was fitted closely to his head. He was not a very young man or a very old man. His face was solemn and he held a sword unsheathed in one hand, the other was balled into a fist. It was the sword that caught his eye however. A dull colored gem centered in the middle of the cross guard, surrounded by the tail of a dragon that wrapped around the hilt, whose head and front paws rested on the pommel; under the left paw a bright colorless stone. Small circular ones of blue and green were inlaid into each side of the cross guard. Hiccup scrutinizes the black haired man for a moment.

He is suddenly distracted by the sound of a sliding glass door opening. He glances around, no one. Hiccup turns away from the painting and hurries down the hallway. He stops when he comes to a cross section between three hallways. The won directing in front of him stops short at a window. He looks in both of the directions scratching his head. Wonderful he was lost. He turns to the right and begins to walk aimlessly. "Oh Hiccup, they're you are parsnip," and elderly voice calls. It's the old oriental woman maid with the slight hunched of her back. She holds a feather duster in one hand. Hiccup didn't remember her name; he could never keep all the maids straight. "The Mistress and Master Drake are wondering where you got'ed off ta," she says walking over to him.

"Oh sorry I was just looking at that one painting over there."

"Ah a lot of paintings all over the manor, the mistress is a great fan of arts," she pats his hand with her wrinkly vein filled fingers. The pads of her palms and finger tips had gone squishy with age. "Do you like arts as well, parsnip?"

Hiccup shrugs, "I guess."

"Well then," she says looking over her shoulder," Come now I'll show you the mistress' favorite, if ya promise not to tell." The elderly woman weakly grips his fingers. Her tiny legs take gentle hurried steps as she led him down the dim hallway turning to the right back toward where he'd just come from. Near the end of the corridor before the crossway she pushes open a door to a dark room. "This here is the Blue Library." She clicks on the lights. It is not misnamed. Everything from the ornate wall paper to the furniture was all different shades of blue. The room is a square and not too grand in size, Professor's office was larger; it was the far reaching ceilings, lined with book shelves at 2 stories up that provided the compensation. "It's right over here," she points feebly. "The mistress' sister painted it."

"She has the sight they say." Nestled between two shelves in a gold ornate frame, there it was. A Grecian goddess in a garden of pale pink flowers with flowing red hair, looks away from the viewer. "It's stunning isn't it, considering she only met your mum once?"the old woman comments gazing warmly at the oil painting. The goddess wears fluid white gown that slits open to reveal her heavily pregnant belly. One hand rests on her stomach, the other fingers' run over a rose's petals.

"Tis the first one in a series, strange how the mistress does not place them all together," the maid comments, staring with inquisitive intensity at it. Hiccup gases up at it in a mix of awe and another emotion that squirms in the pit of his stomach that he can't easily place (fear perhaps?). This was the second image that had allowed him to set eyes on the woman the world claimed to have given birth to him. Throughout his life he had mourned the absence of a mother in his life, he realizes, but never had he truly mourned the death of this particular woman who'd stolen herself away from him. Hiccup takes a breath to steady himself a bit. This was his mother. The highly detailed painting gave much more insight to her than the faded darkened wedding photo.

Another breath. This strong elegant woman was his mother. Staring at this image she stopped being a ghost and became a living breathing entity that was not merely a shadow looming over him in life. He felt a vein connect between them. This was his mother. The one that was never truly his. Was it possible to miss something you'd never had? Hiccup lets his eyes travel down the length of the portrait.

Yes, yes it was.

The clucking of another maid's tongue, alerts them. This one had tan skin and blue eyes; she was half Aboriginal half, something else, presumably English or French. Her name was Talia, the only reason Hiccup remembered this was that Aurore had pointed out that it meant "near water". Her tenacity could give a mule a run for its money; Aurore had found the irony of her name humorous. "The Mistress has been looking after ya," she snaps in odd accented speech. "Mai Wen, I believe you had other things to do, you are not paid to show the boy art work." Her eyes dart between the pair and the portrait. "Come I'll show you to the green house."

* * *

_Where'd the Hiccup get off too_? Aurore questions peering behind Gobber as he takes his seat at the table. "Leave it to that boy to get lost," the Professor grumbles, "Oh well one of the maids will find him." Aurore holds gem stone in her hand, her eyes dimly aglow; she nods absently in reply to Ernest.

"Well since the boy's gone amiss, I have a question for you that have been rattling me. When you were with Astrid was her reflection reflected perfectly in the dragon's eye."

Aurore shakes her head sadly. _It was warped, s_he signs.

"Then her life's purpose is not dragons, I forbid you from telling her about them until further notice."

_BUT SHE HAS THE AMULET._

"I know this but that's all we know, if you're right about Val having something planned for her then well deal with that once we figure that out once we come to said bridge. Unless you've figured it already out of course."

Aurore glares, looking down. _It's blurry_, she mouths, not bothering to write or sign it out.

"As the future often is in that crystal ball thingamajig of yours. I'm not taking any chances with this remember what happened the last time I let a person who didn't reflect perfectly in the eye in on our little secret? I forbid you from even the slightest mentioning of dragonology."

Aurore's glare intensifies and for moment the professor wonders if he'll burst into flames._ Sorry the possible happenings of the numerous dimensions are hard to sort out, but still she deserves to know, not be kept in the dark like a mushroom about the eventa revolving around her own life._

"Yes but we have no idea how to predict how she'll react to that knowledge. You made a vow Aurore, never to tell the secret of dragons to those untrustworthy, you can be kicked out S.A.S.D. for breaking it. And I don't want you letting the maids tell her either. We don't know if we can trust her, so not a word."

Aurore breathes out through her nose, relaxing. She shakes her looking back down at the soup in front her, all her rage gone from her like a candle was blown out. It was not a battle worth winning, furthermore he could be right. There were numerous ways in which things could all play out and the specific events were all jumbled together. Aurore never left things solely to fate, she was a busy woman after all. But Aurore knew better than to go tangling her threads in the dark.

* * *

Cauliflower and cheddar cheese soup was being served for lunch as it turned out. Hiccup could smell it from down the hall. Talia pulls open the glass door and steps out of the way for him to enter, her mouth a thin line but her eyes have a softness he has not seen before. "I too lost me mum when I was young." Her eyes focus intensely down on him. "A life time and half way around the earth later and it still hurts like hell." He nods, not sure at all how to reply to the woman. He sees Aurore beckoning to him inside so he steps past the threshold and leaves the woman behind. She may have captured the sky in her eyes but the rest of her remained solely on Earth.

"Did you get lost boy?" Gobber chuckles as the boy walks up to the table. Hiccup takes the empty seat at the wrought iron table across from Aurore. He places the plate on the table and fishing pole on the ground. A steaming bowl of soup sits in front of him. It's warm for soup, especially in the greenhouse. The green house is stuffed to the brim with plants, surrounded by green paned windows which have been thrown open to let in fresh air. Off in a corner Hiccup can spot a patch of sky blue star shaped petals growing.

Hiccup takes a spoonful of soup and beings blowing on the hot liquid. Aurore picks of the plate and turns its tarnished surfaces over in her hands. With raised eyebrows she mouths the poem. "What do you think it means?" Hiccup asks swallowing. Aurore shakes her head still mouthing the words. _I am not sure. But Devona does not predict good things. The name of the poem is Odin's Doom._

"Odin's doom," the old man mumbles. Aurore sighs laying the plate down_._ She rubs her thumb against the orb around her neck. All of the more happy possibilities drifting away.

"Let's see the fishing pole then boy," Gobber says.

Hiccup hands it to him. Gobber examines it in his hands, "Seems sturdy enough."

"You know there's a stream out yonder in the woods I used to take Michael there as a boy."

"Thanks, but I'm not much of a fishing kind of guy," Hiccups says scrutinizing it.

"Nonsense all you have to do is stick the blasted hook in the water and wait."

_Devona gave you the pole for a reason; I'd take a gander at trying it at least._ With that Aurore stands up._ I need a nap and after that I need to get ready, Astrid starts with me on Monday. So I'll leave you two to your lunches._

They silently watch her go before Gobber continues blabbering on about directions to the stream.

* * *

The sun had not even opened her eyes properly, only prodded a golden eye lash over the edge of the horizon when Astrid awoke. Gremmy snores slightly from his place curled up underneath her right arm. The little bit of sunlight shines on his brown coat. Astrid scratches him behind the ears gently and he stirs a little. The closest thing possible to a smile for a dog on his face. The air is cool from the night but steadily warming. Astrid looks out her window at the eastern sky with its tinting brightness against the dense blue sky. Her internship begins today and she feels strangely anxious. It felt like a step into unfamiliar waters. She was positive she would excel but the sense of beginning filled her stomach with an empty unsettled feeling.

Her mother had been using words sparingly with her since the day that Aurore woman had shown up at the door. She barked orders and little else. Astrid's heart ached a bit at this, but breaking course with one's mother was rarely a painless process. This only added to the anxiousness. Nothing ever good came of her mother holding up emotion like that; eventually she would come to explode like a horrific volcano spraying ash and molten rock everywhere. Or worse, she would eventually implode. This Astrid feared even more that ultimately her mother will collapse in on herself, never to rise from the ashes of her own destruction. Astrid breaths out slowly through her nose as she stares into the sunrise. Astrid's body is still comfortable in its state of unmoving from sleep. Her mind is awake and alert but her limps want little more than to drift back into the gentle sea of sleep. She lays there watching the sunrise until the sky is a gentle golden yellow.

Astrid is startled at the sudden shift of Gremmy in his sleep. She grins warmly at the sight of the tiny dog nestling his face deeper into the quilt. With a quick sigh, she throws off the blanket, and puts her feet onto the wooden floor. She walks over to her dresser and pulls out dark blue stockings that up past her knees, a green plaid skirt and a white blouse with simple cloth buttons going down the front.

She looks into her mirror, picks up a brush and begins running it through her hair. "You look like your father you know," her mother speaks somberly from the doorway, still in her night shift. Her mother walks up behind her and takes stands of Astrid's hair in her powerful fingers and begins braiding puts the brush down and stares at the reflection. "He always found it humorous that the only daughter I gave him was the only child that looked a lick like him." Astrid's father was a shot in the line of duty the summer she turned eight. "Your grandmother liked to point out that when a woman gives birth to a child that looks like the father that it means she's truly in love with him and that it took me three kids to get there," she says bitterly. Her hands forcefully tie a blue ribbon around the ends of her hair. "Oh well, either way you turned out beautiful." Astrid raises her eyebrows, but doesn't disagree. She isn't vain but she's not blind either. "A pretty face will get you a husband," her mother says turning to go, "But it won't get you into Oxford. Do well my daughter. And feed the chickens before you go." Astrid hears the thuds of her mother's footsteps as they go down the hall. In her way that was her mother's goodbye. Astrid felt very hollow about it all.

Astrid tosses handfuls dried corn in the chicken yard behind the house; they skitter happily around her ankles. She steps over the short wire fence, tossing a final handful of corn. She walks around the side of the house to the shed and rolls out a bicycle. The wheels move easily in the slick of the dew covered grass as she drags it over to the road. She stops at the gate and undoes the latch, pausing for a second to stare at the amulet in her reflection. She looks up at the calls of a flock of birds flying across the northern sky. She glares up at the road in front of her, today was not a day for distractions. Shoving off the ground, she mounts the bicycle and petals furiously toward town. The streets bustle with a few early risers, the baker and fishermen already at work. Astrid can see down the to the end of Main Street to the canal, most of the boats are already out on the water.

The twin's mother waves to her on her way to the book store she owned. Astrid waves back as she turns the corner off of Main Street and heads northwest toward the edge of town. As she pedals on up the road she can hear the sound of the cobblers hammer. The shops turn into houses that steadily grow sparser and poorer. The decaying shack-like homes were mainly the houses of fish hands and day laborers. A door slams, a baby wails, and a woman hangs up her laundry pass.

She bridges off the main road to the gravel one the leads up into the country side again. Mrs. Creighton swings back and forth on the porch of her Victorian style home. The deep purple and lavender paint of her house is neatly touched up contrasting to the peeling structures of most of the town. The house she built with money from God knows where. The two story elegant structure is well beyond the price range of a school teacher.

The woman releases on hand from her cup of tea and waves. It was rumored she was once mistress to a Spanish prince or that her father was the fairy king and her mother was a human and the leprechauns gave her all that gold. "Hurry up my girl, time is costly," she calls in a graceful voice. Astrid simply rolls her eyes and waves because she's out of ear shot. The woman was annoying most often at best.

The sun rises higher in sky as Astrid petals further northwest, past fields of grass, cows, and sheep. The quiet of the country side only disturbed by the rustle of wind and animal calls.

Astrid gapes up at the impending building in slight awe. Dark grey stone looming high into the sky. It's solid, un-ornate. Two identical towers soar out of the top; an enormous dragon clinging might as well had been clinging to one, surrounded by a thick guard wall. It was a mix of something out of a ghost story and something out of an ancient epic. Astrid steps off the bicycle and walks it up the gravel drive not wanting to burst one of the rubber tires.

As she approaches the door way her eyes do not leave the vast stone walls that grow seeming higher as she nears it. She leans her bicycle up against the outer wall and raps on the metal knocker of the door. The double doors are tugged open by the able hands of a servant. "I take you are Miss Astrid," says a woman in a gruff voice of strangely accented English. Her eyes were blue like the summer sky but her skin was tan like soft deer leather. She was also plump and rather tall.

"Astrid Hofferson at your service," She says evenly.

"Mistress Drake is expecting you, please come in." The woman steps out of the doorway and lets Astrid pass. "Follow me." The large bodied woman revolves on her heel and saunters down the long, very narrow entrance way with extremely tall vaulted ceilings. The hallway opens up to a much bigger room bursting with light from rows of windows and rows and rows of lab tables neatly covered in scientific gadgets and jars of chemicals.

Astrid follows the maid to the far end. Aurore is holds in hands a strange green hat with white fluffy feathers billowing out the top, a box with a ribbon sitting beside her on the table. She holds up her chalkboard hearing their approach_. My sister sent it to me, says it's all the rage in New York. Frankly I think it its hideous._

She wiggles her nose and sets down the hat and turns to face Astrid fully. "It is an honor to be given the opportunity to study under you madam."

Aurore waves it away, _we're happy to have you dear._

Aurore gestures to a neat assortment of objects in front of her. _This should be all you'll need_ _for the course of the internship__._

A magnifying glass, a set of gloves, a set of goggles, an apron, a notebook of ruled paper, but it was the stack of books that took the cake. _I know it's a lot, but I've read your school's curriculum and it's highly limited_.

Basic Latin, a book on the anatomy and physiology of mammals as well as one for reptiles, basic botany and plant structures, a thick handbook on the medicinal properties of plants. Physics and two books on intermediate and advanced chemistry, a book on sign language, geology, and small red leather book on how to read old Nordic runes.

Aurore rubs her chin, one hand on her hip. _Yes, that should do it._

_You'll need to read all of these at home; you can leave them there of course. I recommend bringing the sign language on with you. It will be lot easier for us to communicate once I don't have to write out everything._

_Here I'll get you a satchel to put them all in_, she says pulling open a drawer.

* * *

**Happy New Year!**

**Hope you enjoyed, please review ~Opaul**

**oh and p.s. next chapter we_ finally_ get to toothless.**


	15. Chapter 15

_When the prison doors are opened, the real dragon will fly out._  
_Ho Chi Minh_

* * *

According to infamous direction giving Dr. Drake, the stream was supposed to be over the third hill, due east from the backside of the manor. All he had to do is just follow the trail and he find it easy as pie.

Hiccup rolls his eyes. Trouble was in the ten plus years since the man had taken his young son fishing the path had grotesquely overgrown. In some places the only distinction that there was actually a path was that the foliage was less slightly less dense.

Hiccup grasps onto a set vines to help haul him up the side of the muddy hill. He can hear the sound of rushing water in the distance. He digs his fingers of his other hand into the damp dirt, while minding not to drop the fishing pole, and yanks himself up on top of the knoll. He rights himself, readjusting the strap attached to the tackle box thrown over his shoulder and brushes the dirt of his trousers. In the middle off the valley between the hill Hiccup stands on and the next a crystal clear stream of grey flows swiftly. It is little more than four feet wide and did not seem particularly of great depth.

Then, careful not to trip, he half slides half tromps down the steep knoll. He takes off the tackle box and sets it on a rock on the muddy bank. He leans over, staring into the stream, a number of good sized fish dart around in the rushing water.

The sun is high in the sky, and not a single wind rustles the tree leaves. More than anything it was hot. Hiccup walks back toward the rock were he set down the tackle box and takes off his shoes. He rolls up his pant legs and sleeves so as not to get them dirty or wet. He flips open the lid of the small tackle box and pulls out a hook. Painstakingly he knots it to the fishing line. The metal hook glints from the sunlight in his palm as he skewers a worm on the end.

He places the hook in the water. He settles down on round rock an waits, the tips of his toes brushing the cool spring water.

After a while he feels a swift tug on the end of the line. He slings the decent fish out of the water without much trouble. He struggles to get the flopping slippery fish off the hook, it refusing to stay still in his hands. He finally manages to rip the hook out of its mouth. Hiccup sets the fish down behind him on the bank. It twitches occasionally as it slowly suffocates. He sticks another worm on the hook and settles back down on the rock.

Fishing isn't so bad he supposes. Though it is rather boring, he exhales leaning his head on his palm. Perhaps the dragon had wanted him to learn patience? Hiccup thinks to himself with a roll of his eyes.

He drives the end of the pole into the muddy sediment and pulls out his sketch book from his satchel.

* * *

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**Yes, its short. And its been sitting on my desktop since Winter break when life decided to shit all over me. Mainly school. T_T I'll be hopefully be back to writing soon after school lets out in like 5 days. D: sorry I did on ya'll. **


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